WORCESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - A Worcester Police Department K9 returned to work this week after recovering from being stabbed in the head multiple times with a screwdriver while on duty earlier this month.
Officers responding to a report of a male threatening to stab bus drivers and light them on fire on Sept. 7 found a suspect crouched down behind the shrubs, according to police.
Officers called K9 Officer Pennellatore to the scene with his partner K9 Beebs due to the male threatening to harm police and ignoring commands to come out of the shrubs.
The suspect, later identified as 41-year-old Joseph Perez, continued to ignore police commands causing Beebs to be deployed where the suspect then stabbed Beebs multiple times in the head with a screwdriver.
Officers were able to remove the Perez from the shrubs and place him in custody.
Perez was charged with Assault and Battery on Ambulance Personnel, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, three counts of Armed Assault to Murder, Trespassing, Resisting Arrest, Disorderly Conduct, Disturbing the Peace, two counts of Animal Cruelty and Threatening to Commit a Crime.
Beebs suffered from a laceration to his mouth and several wounds to his head with swelling.
In a post on Facebook, Worcester Police said, “The department was inundated with support from well-wishers, who hoped for a speedy recovery. Thank you again for all your support for K9 Beebs and his handler Officer Dan Pennellatore!”
They also posted a picture of Beebs at a training session he attended on Thursday with the rest of the K9 Unit.
Beebs is a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois and has been with the department for 2-and-a-half years.
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