Prison officials said K-9 Officer Floki was found dead Thursday morning. Investigators believe the 7-year-old Dutch shepherd was shot around 7:45 p.m. Wednesday while working the back perimeter of the prison to help prevent contraband from entering the facility.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and the Holly Springs Police Department are investigating the case alongside the facility’s Corrections Investigation Division.
K-9 Commander Josh Russell found Floki when he went to bring the dog food and water, officials said.
According to the Department of Corrections, Floki was a multipurpose K-9 used for tracking, narcotics detection and other assignments.
Corrections Commissioner Burl Cain is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible.
“It’s a shame to kill a defenseless dog who was doing his job to help us keep contraband out of the prison,” Cain said.
Cain noted that killing or injuring a public service animal is a felony in Mississippi, punishable by up to a $5,000 fine, five years in prison, or both.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Marshall County Correctional Facility Superintendent Frank Caswell or the prison’s Corrections Investigation Division at 662-252-7111.
