Bill named after injured K-9 officer signed on day of dog’s death

MADISON, Wis. (WRN) — A bill named after an injured K-9 officer became a memorial to the dog on the day it was signed into law.

In 2021, Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Riggs was shot in the head while responding to a double homicide in Bristol. He eventually returned to duty and earned several honors until retiring last year.

Riggs’ injury led two state legislators to author the “K-9 Riggs Act”, which elevates penalties for intentionally harming or killing law enforcement animals.

On Friday, the day Governor Tony Evers signed the bill into law, the sheriff’s office announced the death of K-9 Riggs, calling it a “poignant coincidence” and a “bittersweet moment for our agency and the entire community.”