Reedley police K-9 missing since Fourth of July is found dead

After going missing during Fourth of July celebrations, a Reedley, Calif., police K-9 has been found dead.

Kona, a 10-year-old German shepherd, escaped from his handler’s garage in Visalia on Tuesday. After a search that involved the public and several other law enforcement agencies, his body was found just outside of Visalia on the 14000 block of Avenue 280 on Thursday.

A tracking device was found in the area earlier but it wasn’t on his collar, the Fresno Bee reported.

According to the department’s Facebook posts, it seems likely that Kona was hit by a vehicle and then crawled into a vineyard where he succumbed to his injuries. A spokesperson for the Reedley Police Department was not available for comment Friday.

“Despite our best efforts, we were unable to provide the happy reunion we all wished for,� the post read.

During their preliminary investigation, officials found that after escaping from his handler’s garage during the fireworks, he removed wooden fence panels to escape the backyard. The department will continue to investigate what happened.

The department’s Facebook post that updated the community of Kona’s passing garnered hundreds of comments, many expressing their condolences for Kona and his handler.

“Please take a moment to remember Kona and keep his handler in your thoughts during this difficult period of grief and loss,� the department posted.