Gov. Abbott honors Dallas officer, K-9 with Star of Texas Award
In recognition of first responders, Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday honored two Dallas police officers with the Star of Texas Award. They both survived a shooting from earlier this year.
Back in April, Dallas Police Senior Corporal Scott Jay and K-9 Figor were shot multiple times. They were searching a wooded area in early morning darkness for a man who shot two family members in Pleasant Grove.
Jay's body camera showed the moments Figor found the suspect and was shot. He was also shot twice but was able to take down the gunman.
Months after the shooting, Jay and Figor are back at work.
Jay says while he hoped his K-9 would never be shot, it helped that they were able to recover together at home.
"The dogs around the house are extremely special, but there is something about a working dog you go to work with and face some of the challenges we face," he said.
Monday in Austin, Jay and Figor were recognized by Gov. Greg Abbott. The two were among several officers awarded the Star of Texas.
"The Star of Texas Award goes to those whose self-sacrifice is a shining example of the very best of the Lone Star State," Abbott said. "To serve as a first responder is to answer to a higher calling. It means putting yourself between danger and the people you serve."
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"The work of this dog that night is nothing short of heroic," said Chief Garcia during Monday's news conference.
Jay and Figor are focused on training right now. Their bond, while already strong, is even stronger in the face of recent adversity.
"He’s turned out to be a remarkable dog," Jay said. "There's a lot of good dogs in our unit, but I wouldn’t trade this one for anything."
Jay says he knew the Dallas community supported police, but he saw it firsthand after he was shot and wants to thank everyone for their support.