K-9 Officer Recovering at Home After Crash Injury Releases From Animal Hospital

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Mount Juliet Police Department’s K-9 named Aksel has been reunited with his handler, Officer Reese Harper, after being discharged from the veterinary clinic on Friday afternoon.

K-9 Aksel was injured Wednesday when Officer Harper’s patrol car was hit by a teen driver while responding to a shooting. Harper was uninjured in the crash, but Aksel suffered a severe leg injury and had to be rushed to emergency surgery.

"The 60-minute surgery tackled a full rupture of his Achilles tendon—an extremely damaging injury for an energetic police dog. The Achilles tendon plays a crucial role for law enforcement canines as it contributes significantly to their speed, flexibility, and sudden bursts of movement necessary during patrols and arrests. Such injuries commonly lead to the end of their service careers," stated the MJPD.

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Aksel’s surgery went well and Friday, he was released to his handler. He will now spend the next few months recovering at Officer Harper’s home.

The MJPD stated that K-9 Askel was only one week away from achieving certification as a police dog when the accident occurred. Currently, he has a 50/50 probability of being able to return to full duty with the Mount Juliet Police Department.

Following the accident, MJPD mentioned that they have been overwhelmed with assistance which they express deep gratitude for.

"We are profoundly grateful to everyone who contributed to Aksel’s recovery. Although this has been an extremely difficult time for our team, witnessing the compassion from our community highlights what a remarkable place Mt. Juliet really is," stated MJPD.

For individuals who wish to extend their support to Officer Harper and Aksel, they have the option to leave cards or messages at the MJPD Headquarters. Children have the option to color a Hero Paws cartoon.

Faced with a challenging situation that affected a potential police K-9 unit’s career right from the start, our community came together—to support Aksel, Officer Harper, and our department," stated MJPD. "We sincerely appreciate everyone’s kindness and assistance.