Charges filed against man accused of killing police dog

Published 5:22 am Friday, March 18, 2022

A man accused of firing at officers and killing a police dog has been charged with attempted murder of a police officer and assault on a service animal, Kentucky State Police said.

David J. Knopp, 23, of Shepherdsville, also was charged with fleeing and wanton endangerment from an encounter last week with officers who responded to a shoplifting complaint at a Dollar General Store in Lebanon Junction, police said Thursday in a statement.

When officers arrived, a male suspect fired at them and fled, a preliminary investigation found. A K-9 unit with the Shepherdsville Police Department located the suspect a short time later, and he shot a police dog sent to restrain him, police said.

Shepherdsville officers and Bullitt County deputies then fired at the suspect, striking him multiple times, the agency said.

Knopp was taken to University of Louisville Hospital, where he remains in stable condition, police said. The K-9 died from gunshot wounds.