A man wanted on felony charges and a police dog were killed in a shooting involving Connecticut State Police troopers on Thursday evening, authorities said.
State police said troopers went to the Pawcatuck section of Stonington, near the Rhode Island state line, at about 7:30 p.m. to serve the warrant and a shooting occurred. No details about the shooting, including who fired their guns, were released.
The state Inspector General's Office said Friday that the man, Vaughn Malloy, and a state police dog, Broko, died in the shooting. It was not immediately clear whether any troopers were injured.
Authorities said the felony arrest warrant was obtained by Norwich police, but did not disclose additional details.
State police said in a statement that Broko “courageously gave his life protecting his handler, fellow troopers, and our community.”
“K9 Broko heroically served with unwavering dedication, saving lives by locating missing individuals, apprehending dangerous suspects, and providing a steadfast shield to his handler. K9 Broko ultimately sacrificed his life doing what he was known best for,” state police said.
A procession of dozens of police vehicles drove through town several hours after the shooting.
Broko graduated from the 2021 state police patrol K-9 class and was a member of the state police search and rescue team, police said. Broko and his handler were assigned to the Southbury barracks before joining the statewide K-9 unit, authorities said.
According to state court records, arrest warrants had been issued for a Vaughn Malloy who was wanted for allegedly violating probation and failing to appear in court.
The probation violation was related to a conviction for violating a protective order that led to a sentence of two years of probation, court records show. The “failure to appear in court” charges were related to motor vehicle violations including fleeing the scene of an accident, according to the records.
Public defenders listed as previously having clients named Vaughn Malloy did not immediately return email messages seeking comment Friday.
