The line of flashing red and blue lights winded around the city streets of downtown Columbus like a presidential motorcade.
Along the route, mourning civilians lined the sidewalks with signs in hand thanking the fallen K9 for his service to the community.
Tears were shed behind the face masks in the crowd, as the procession inched past the Bartholomew County Jail where officers stood at attention.
Not all of the law enforcement vehicles in the line were from the area, but all of the officers felt a similar grief — the grief of losing one of their own.
Over this past week, hundreds of individuals from across the country have shown an outpouring of love for K9 Diesel, a Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department police dog that was killed on Nov. 14 while chasing a suspect wanted in a domestic violence investigation near County Road 600S and County Road 250W. The canine, which died from injuries suffered after being struck by a vehicle, was found deceased in one of the I-65 traffic lanes near the 62 mile marker.
Diesel had been a member of the sheriff’s department since 2016. During his service, the K9 was known to aggressively go after suspects and was used extensively to locate drugs in vehicles and to search for fleeing suspects. He was involved in hundreds of arrests, including apprehending a man carrying a shotgun near a local elementary school in 2017.
Deputy Matt Bush, Diesel’s handler, left his vehicle outside of the Bartholomew County Jail for memorials for Diesel, and many members of the community left various gifts in remembrance next to a large portrait of the German Shepherd.
While criminals feared Diesel, Bush said he loved to chase balls, appreciated belly rubs and loved attention like other dogs.
Some may not understand why there has been such a large outpouring for the K9 by law enforcement community, but if you ask any officer they will tell you why: K9s are members of the police fraternity.
It’s touching that so many have reached out to the sheriff’s department, and we also send our well wishes during this difficult time. It will take time to heal from the loss, but the sheriff’s department — and community — will come back stronger than ever.
