K-9 Ace’s Triumphant Return After Shooting Incident

Just days after being shot and losing a leg while defending deputies, a remarkable Florida K-9 named Ace made an emotional comeback to the sheriff’s office.

Ace, a seven-year-old German shepherd with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office since March 2020, sustained his injuries while deputies attempted to arrest 27-year-old Angel Bowers.

Authorities report that Bowers fired multiple shots at the deputies during the attempted arrest for a court appearance failure. Tragically, Bowers was killed by officers at the scene.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd shared that Ace bravely intervened to protect the three deputies but was shot in his front left leg, which resulted in a broken bone and a ruptured artery, leading to significant blood loss.

Ace’s partner, Deputy Natalie Oestreich, quickly attended to his wounds and got him to safety, according to the sheriff’s office.

The K-9 was taken to Parkway Veterinary Emergency Clinic in Lakeland, where he was stabilized before being flown to Lakewood Ranch Veterinary Medical Center by a Tampa General Hospital AeroMed helicopter. There, veterinarians performed several hours of surgery to amputate his left front leg.

On Sunday, the sheriff’s office shared a video of deputies arriving at the medical center to welcome Ace back, who appeared to be recovering well and was almost ready to head home.

The sheriff’s office stated, “Upon waking from anesthesia, Ace tried to walk out of the room.” They noted that he hadn’t shown signs of pain since and even sprinted past a camera during his release.

The video captured Ace, wearing a shirt that boldly read “Ride or Die,” interacting with staff and proudly walking out of the center to loud applause.

Just two days later, Ace visited the sheriff’s office for the first time since being injured in the line of duty.

“Look at Ace. He’s happy. He’s eating. He’s even trying to bite my finger,” Judd remarked. “We’re incredibly proud of Natalie and Ace; they stood between good and evil, saving three lives. That’s something we can be proud of.”

Looking ahead, Judd expressed his intention to spend quality time with Ace during his recovery, although Ace will officially retire from law enforcement duties.

“It’s time to relax and enjoy retirement, Ace,” Judd added.

The sheriff’s office also took to social media to recognize Ace, declaring, “His days chasing after bad guys are behind him, but Ace will always be our hero!”

In addition, Polk Sheriff’s Charities Inc. has set up a K-9 fund to support Ace’s ongoing care. The office encourages anyone who wishes to contribute to do so directly through their website.