Investigation underway after D.C. police K9 found dead in car

Authorities have launched an investigation after an explosives detection dog for the Metropolitan Police Department was found dead inside a police vehicle in Washington, D.C., Monday.

Police confirmed that late Monday morning, a handler found Rocket, a seven-year-old Malinois Shepherd, dead inside of a parked police car.

The MPD “regrets to announce the passing of K9 Rocket, a long time explosives detection dog assigned to our Special Operations Division,” police said in a statement.

An undated photo of Rocket, a seven-year-old Malinois Shepherd, who served as an explosives detection dog for the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. Rocket was found dead in a police car on Sept. 19, 2022.

Metropolitan Police Department/Twitter

The cause of Rocket’s death is now under investigation.

According to police, all department K9 vehicles come with a temperature monitoring and alarm system that activates when the car’s interior gets too hot. Police are inspecting the vehicle in question to determine if the system malfunctioned.

Temperatures in Washington, D.C., reached 85 degrees Monday.