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:
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall:
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall:
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall:
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 to 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.