Two dead, police dog killed in Las Vegas shootout

LAS VEGAS, April 1 (UPI) -- Two people and a police dog are dead after a violent afternoon in a Las Vegas neighborhood.

The incident happened Thursday when police received reports of gunshots and a man walking down a street waving a gun. Officers deployed the police dog named Nicky to stop the suspect, but shots broke out and the dog was struck and died at the scene.

After shooting and injuring the gunman, officers found the bodies of two people who had been shot to death in a house nearby. It's unclear if the dead bodies were connected to the gunman outside.

The officers were not injured. The gunman's condition is unknown and no charges have been announced. Police are still investigating the connection between the gunman and the victims.

"Devastating to lose that dog. That dog is one of us," said Las Vegas Capt. Shawn Anderson at a news conference. "That dog suffered very severe injuries not long ago."

Nicky, a Belgian Malinois, was stabbed multiple times during a standoff last month, but returned to duty after surgery.