Sgt. Molinet arrived and initiated a track with K-9 Deerrek for the B/M suspect with other officers setting up a perimeter. K-9 Derrek picked up the track southbound, between some houses, on the south alley, between some more houses, before turning eastbound on teh south side of Adams Street. K-9 Derrek continued tracking eastbound for about a block, crossing Garvin Street, and was turning back southbound between some houses when perimeter officers spotted the suspect run south across Monroe about three or four blocks further southeast of K-9 Derrik's location. A perimeter car transported Sgt. Molinet and K-9 Derrek to the spot wherfe the suspect was last seen. The perimeter officer did not know exactly where the suspect had crossed the street, but K-9 Derrek quickly picked up the track in the front yard of 631 Monroe. Officer Jeff Kingery followed the K-9 team from this point on. K-9 Derrek tracked south through the backyard of this house, crossed the alley, went wet for a short distance before shooting into the backyard of 632 Jackson. Officer Sawn Smith was standing in the middle of the backyard (about 10 ft. behind a large work van). K-9 Derrek ignored officer Smith and pulled right past him and jimped in the back door of the work van. Kkk-9 Derrek quickly worked his way to the front of the work van and lunged to his right. At that instant, Sgt. Molinet heard 4 or 5 gunshots and saw the muzzle flash from the suspects gun; the last shot had ben fired at him. After the second shot, Sgt. Molinet heard K-9 Derrek yelp one time. The work van had walls separating the front (passenger) compartment from the back compartment. The back compartment had large wooden shelves, from the top to the bottom, on either side. This left just a narrow isle leading to the passenger compartment of the van and it was full of trash and junk. All Sgt. Molinet could see of the passenger compartment was the middle console. With all of the clutter in the back of the van, Sgt. Molinet could not see K-9 Derrek or the suspect, who was hidden in the front passenger side. Sgt. Molinet immediately shouted for the suspect to come out and show his hands.

The suspect did not comply so Sgt. Molinet began shouting for K-9 Derrek to return to him. Perimeter officers arrived and surrounded the van shouting orders to the suspect. Sgt. Molinet continued shouting for K-9 Derrek to return to him. After a few minutes, perimeter officers were able to remove the suspect from teh van. Sgt. Molinet immediately ran into the van and observed K-9 Derrek lying motionless on the floor of the van between the two seats. K-9 Derrek was rushed to a nearby 24 hour vet clinic where he was prounounced dead a few minutes later. K-9 Derrek had ben shot one time with a .38 cal. handgun. The bullet had shattered the right shoulder, ricocheted between 2 ribs, punctured a lung, entered the heart near the top and exited the heart near the bottom. The vet stated that K-9 Derrek had been dead in a matter of seconds. Officer Smith stated that he had been sitting on the perimeter when he heard the dogs next door start barking. He knew the suspect was running in his direction and figured that the dogs might have been barking at the suspect. He had went to this backyard and had heard a noise in or near the van. He was about to climb up into the van to investigate when K-9 Derrek arrived and jumped inot the van. Officer Smith stated that K-9 Derrek probably saved his life that night.
The suspect was transported to Welborn Hospital where he was treated for various injuries, among them a dog bite to his left shin. He was transported to headquarters where he was booked for Attempted Murder (class A), two counts of Kidnapping (class A), two counts of Armed Robbery (class B), Carjacking (class B), Criminal Mischief (class D), and Battery of a police dog.

On Tuesday, August 11, K-9 Derrek was given a funeral, with full honors, at the Evansville Canine Unit training grounds. Several hundred people attended including a large number of out of town K-9 units. Cpl. Tim Nussmeier and Lt. John Haller delivered the eulogy praising K-9 Derrek as a hero. Derrek was laid to rest in the Eveansville K-9 Cemetery directly behind Sgt. Molinet's first K-9 partner (K-9 Pit). He will be sorely missed.
Respectfully, 
Sgt. David Molinet
Evansville Police Dept.
Special Operations Platoon
K-9 Unit