Police say a man attempted to commit "suicide-by-cop" Dec. 17 and during the confrontation, a police K9, Billy, was shot to death.

According to Property Crimes Sgt. Jill Ottaviano, police believe Douglas Wayne Kirk, 56, broke into the Coast Guard Recruiting Center at 660 Central Ave. and then called 911 from the business. "You can call any department in the country, and they'll tell you that that's strange," Ottaviano said. "It seems that he was trying to call us with his own burglary."

The 911 call was received early in the morning, and officers responded at 6:13 a.m. Included with the first-responders was K9 Billy and his handler, Officer Mike Ortega. When the animal was deployed, he accidentally attacked one of the officers assisting on the call. Billy did not let go of the officer when commanded, and the officer opened fire and killed the dog.

Police are not naming the officer who was bitten pending an internal investigation, but they describe the officer as a two-year veteran of the department. The injured officer was transported to Highland Hospital for treatment of the dog-bite wounds.

A moment after the dog was shot, Kirk emerged from the recruiting center. Officers took him into custody after a brief struggle. APD took Kirk to Alameda Hospital where he was treated and released for minor lacerations that occurred during the arrest. Kirk was then taken to APD headquarters.

Billy had been in service with APD for more than three years, and had been certified to his new handler in September. On Nov. 25, Ortega led Billy into the bathroom at a residence on the 400 block of Buena Vista Avenue, and Billy sniffed out 11 ounces of cocaine APD is conducting a criminal investigation into the burglary and an administrative investigation into Billy's shooting. For the duration of the investigation, the K9 program has been suspended.

Along with this case, police are busy with two homicides that occurred within a few days of each other. On Dec. 19, ACSO divers searched the lagoon behind homicide victim Darin Vinall's home for evidence.

"Every single resource is being utilized," Ottaviano said. "We do follow up every single lead."