By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Memorial services have been set to honor Nyx, the Rockford Police Department K-9 who was killed Sunday in the line of duty.
A visitation will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17 at City First Church, 5950 Spring Creek Road. A law enforcement and first responder walk-through will start at 3 p.m. followed by a celebration of Nyx’s life at 3:30 p.m.
Honors bestowed on police dogs killed in the line of duty are similar to that of human officers with the use of an honor guard and an End of Watch call. Nyx is also listed on the Officer Down Memorial Page as the first K-9 killed in the line of duty across the country this year. There were 25 such deaths in 2023, including one in Illinois in Kane County, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
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Nxy joined the Rockford Police Department in 2018, and she was the first female police dog in the department.
The canine was fatally shot on Sunday during a response to a domestic dispute.
The Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office said police were called around 1:45 p.m. to the 3000 block of Jacqueline Drive to respond to a domestic violence call.
A woman at the residence said she got in a verbal argument with Malik Trotter, who had left the apartment with her phone. She also said her son heard three gunshots before Trotter left the area.
At 3:15 p.m., the woman told police her phone was located via Life 360 at a business in the 2800 block of 11th Street.
Police officer Jon Vargas, Nyx’s handler, responded and located Trotter, who fled on foot. Vargas and the police dog pursued Trotter over a fence, and Nyx quickly caught up with the suspect. Before Vargas closed in, he heard three gunshots, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.
Vargas then saw Nyx lying next to a residence with gunshot wounds.
Authorities say Trotter then fired at Vargas, who returned fire and struck Trotter in leg.
Trotter was given first aid at the scene until a Rockford Fire Department ambulance transported him to the hospital for treatment. Nyx died from her injuries.
State’s Attorney J. Hanley said that information is from a preliminary investigation and could change as additional evidence is collected.
The matter is under investigation by the Boone Winnebago Integrity Task Force, which is called into action when police use potentially deadly force.
Compiled by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas