Indiana man found guilty of killing police dog, acquitted of shooting police officer

By Meredith Colias-Pete
Post-Tribune (Merrillville, Indiana)

GARY, Ind. — A Gary man received a split verdict late Wednesday – convicted of kill a police dog and acquitted of the charge of shooting a police officer.

Jurors acquitted Spencer Patterson of attempted murder after he was accused of shooting Gary police Sergeant Angel Lozano.

They convicted Patterson of assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of resisting police and one count of striking a police animal.

His sentencing is scheduled for July 12.

Assistant District Attorneys Michelle Jatkiewicz and Adam Martin said during the trial that Patterson evaded arrest, killed Lozano’s police dog Falco and then opened fire on the officer.

Patterson shot the dog, his attorney John Cantrell said Thursday.

He said there was no evidence – including bullet casings or holes – to suggest Patterson opened fire on the officer after police searched the overgrown backyard with metal detectors.

They “tried to justify (the officer) shooting my client six times,” he said.

The incident began shortly before 2:00 p.m. on July 13, 2023.

Lozano and his K-9 partner, Falco, went to the area of ​​the 1000 block of East 35th Place to search for Patterson. He first ordered the “fidgety” Patterson to put his hands on the car. He gave the officer a false name. When Lozano attempted to handcuff him, Patterson ran.

According to the probable cause affidavit, they pursued each other on foot in an area of ​​knee-high, overgrown grass. A witness told police that Patterson jumped a fence and Falco followed him and also jumped the fence. Lozano couldn’t climb the fence, so he ran along the east side when he heard a few gunshots, records say.

Falco was shot during the brief chase and died of his injuries behind the house. The animal was lying on the ground and had “shallow breathing,” Lozano told jurors. Patterson took aim at him and then opened fire before Lozano fired back. In total, he shot Patterson six times, Lozano said. Patterson told him he killed the dog because it had bitten him.

According to Gary Police Chief Anthony Titus, the dog served with the Gary Police Department for eight years and participated in over 1,000 calls, apprehending suspects and seizing numerous drugs.

In the backyard, Lozano noticed Falco on the ground but couldn’t initially find Patterson, court records say. He told investigators that as he approached the west side of the house, Patterson shot at him and he shot back at Patterson. At that point, Patterson gave up and was taken into custody, the affidavit says.

“I’m done, I’m done, I give up,” one witness testified he told Patterson.

The Post-Tribune archives contributed to this.

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