Johnnie Laroy Longest III

Deadly force

K-9 Officer Dan Lesser and Sgt. Brent Austin attempted to pull Longest over for reckless driving. After Longest's Honda high-centered on a concrete divider, he fled and there was a foot chase into an alley several blocks away. The police then released the K-9, Var. Longest shot the dog twice with a .22 handgun then turned to flee again. Officer Lesser shot Longest once in the spine. Longest died in a hospital the next day. The County Prosecutor justified the shooting , and Var was given the Purple Heart.