Ape

Not too far from where I live, tragedy struck Wednesday morning. Six people were shot while out doing everyday errands at a car wash and barbershop, by a man who went on a shooting spree in Herkimer, NY.  Four were pronounced dead.  As Wednesday evening settled in, the shooter had hidden himself inside a vacant building and the FBI had him surrounded.  Early on Thursday morning, news came that the shooter (I prefer not to call him by name) had been killed, but not before something else tragic happened.  Ape, the K9 there on duty that morning, serving his people and doing exactly what he had been trained to do, was fatally shot and killed by the shooter when he was sent inside the building.  Ape had only been on active duty since the end of February and was two years old.  Of course I have questions...Was he wearing a vest?  Why couldn't gas have been thrown in instead of this precious dog?  Right now I am trying to keep the "what ifs" at bay, and just focus on how grateful I am for dogs like Ape.  RIP, Ape.  You make us proud.