Death Classification: Canine / Equine Duty Death

Agency: Chicago Police Department

Served: 7 years, 7 months, 28 days

Unit of Assignment / Detail: Bureau of Operational Services - Patrol Division, Special Operations Group: Unit 058 - Canine Unit

District of Incident (Present Day): 002 - Wentworth

Cause of Death: Poisoning

Age at Time of Death: 9.5

Timeline


Date of Birth: Dec 1969

Date of Appointment: 16 Sep 1971

Date of Incident: 14 May 1979

End of Watch: 14 May 1979

Date of Interment:

 

Interment Details


 Cemetery: Not Interred - Other
 Grave Location: Does Not Apply
 Interment Disposition: Cremated

 

Memorial Details


Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Not Enshrined

Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Not Listed

Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Not Listed

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Not Listed

Officer Down Memorial Page: Not Listed

 

Service


 Military Service: Did Not Serve

 

Incident & Biographic Details


Police Canine SIEGER, aged 9.5 years, was a 7 year, 7 month, 28 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the Bureau of Field Services – Patrol Division: Special Operations Group.

On May 14, 1979, at 2:30 a.m., K-9 SIEGER and his handler, Patrolman Ron Magro, responded to a call for a burglar alarm. They responded to Corner Liquor Store located at 45 East Garfield Boulevard. Upon arrival another Police Canine and his handler met them. They observed a side door to the tavern to be open. The owner of the tavern, whom lived above, came downstairs and opened the front door for the responding officers. The two dogs made their entry and began searching. During the search a trap door to the basement was discovered and K-9 SIEGER and his handler went downstairs to investigate. Once in the basement no one was found. It was at this time that K-9 SIEGER found some bread on a pan, which was laying on the floor. K-9 SIEGER began to eat the bread when his handler yelled for him to “ Drop it.“ However, it was too late for K-9 SIEGER, the bread was laced with poison, 10-80 also known as Sodium Flouroacetate, used to kill rodents. The poison is so toxic that it can kill humans if ingested. K-9 SIEGER and his handler left the scene. Hours later, K-9 SIEGER became listless. At 5:30 a.m. he began having convulsions. His handler rushed him to Hektoen Institute, a veterinary research unit at Cook County Hospital located at 627 South Wood Street. All efforts were made to save K-9 SIEGER; his heart stopped and was restarted. His kidneys also stopped functioning and were forced to function again. In the end though there was nothing that could be done for him and he passed away.

Police Canine SIEGER, born in 1969, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on September 16, 1971. He graduated from the Police Canine Training Academy on December 22, 1971. K-9 SIEGER was only six months away from retirement when he died.

K-9 SIEGER was survived by his handler, Patrolman Ron Magro.