Middletown police officer, K-9 handler recovering after gunfight

BUTLER COUNTY, Ohio (FOX19) - For the first time since being shot in a gunfight last week, Middletown Police Officer Denny Jordan was back in limited action Tuesday with his K-9 officer, Koda.

The gunfight followed a police chase that began in Middletown and ended in the front yard of a Turtlecreek Township home Aug. 31.

Jordan was shot in the tricep, hand and leg. Koda was nearly in the line of fire, according to a witness at the scene, but was not injured.

The suspect, Christopher James Hubbard, was shot multiple times but, according to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, is expected to recover.

Jordan says he wakes up every morning thinking about what he could have done differently during the incident. He can’t talk specifics because the shooting is still being investigated, but he is able to reflect on what happened.

“Learn from what we did right,” he said, “(and) learn from what we did wrong.”

Video of the incident obtained by FOX19 NOW shows Jordan send Koda to get the suspect out of the car. Koda was wearing a bullet-proof vest at the time.

“As a handler, it’s always in your mind that you might have to do something that could endanger him for the betterment of other people," Jordan said.

In the video, you can see Koda jump back at the car window even after the shooting starts, something his training prepared him for

“It’s a proud dad moment,” Jordan said.

As he continues to recover, Jordan will be taking the next 12 weeks to train the next generation of K-9 officers and their handlers, teaching them “what I’ve done wrong, what I’ve done right and help them make sure they’ve got a good working dog and that they’re out utilizing those skills for their communities.”

After that, it’s back to the streets for this team.

“What he’s bred to do, it’s what I enjoy doing, getting on the street and stopping cars and helping out on people and doing our thing.”

Copyright 2020 WXIX. All rights reserved.