An NYPD police dog who “won hearts around the world” and helped secure the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris has died, NYPD officials said Sunday.
Gunner, a 9-year-old German shepherd who worked with NYPD’s Counterterrorism Bureau, ended his watch on Saturday, according to NYPD deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism Rebecca Weiner,
“K9 Gunner won hearts around the world after he helped secure the Olympic Games in Paris,” Weiner said in a post on X on Sunday. “He was an extraordinary dog and he will be missed.”
Gunner was named in honor of Police Officer William T. Gunn, who was shot while investigating a homicide in Brooklyn in January 1989. At the time, Gunn had served with the NYPD for a decade, according to NYPD officials.
Gunn had recently been assigned to the NYPD’s 67th Precinct Detective Squad just before the shooting.
After the shooting, Gunn remained in a coma for nearly four years, fighting for his life. He ultimately passed away on Nov. 27, 1992, at the age of 32.
Gunner, whose remarkable career was chronicled on an Instagram page devoted to the impressive pooch, patrolled numerous US Open events at Flushing Meadows and ran in marathons alongside his handler, NYPD Officer Michael Finamore.
“We’re grateful for K9 Gunner’s dedicated years of service,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a post on X. “His extraordinary skills played a vital role in keeping NYC safe. He will be greatly missed.”