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Polk County Sheriff’s Office K9 Ace, a 7-year-old German Shepherd, underwent a successful surgery on Friday, Aug. 7, after being shot by Angel Bowers on the evening of Thursday, Aug. 6, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
“They said the surgery would be at least two or three hours, and they don’t know what all injuries or issues they’ll end up with. But at the very least, Ace is going to lose his left front leg as a result of the horrible, vicious, felonious attack that Angel performed on our deputies and our K9,” Judd said in a press conference on Friday, Aug. 7 during the surgery.
As deputies attempted to apprehend Bowers on Thursday, Aug. 6, Judd said Bowers fired at least four rounds at the three deputies and Ace.
In 2024, Bowers, 27, was charged with unlawful sex with a child, after being accused of sexual battery of a 16 year old at his home when he was 25, according to Judd.
Bowers was arrested on March 18, 2024, then released with a $35,000 bond on May 14, 2024. He was scheduled but failed to appear at a plea hearing on Monday, Aug. 3. According to Judd, Bowers was expected to be sentenced to between five and 15 years in prison, followed by probation.
Bowers was killed when deputies returned fire.
“We’ve had four attacks on our deputies where they intended to kill them in less than a month. That has got to stop,” Judd said.
A rush to save Ace
“He struck K9 Ace in the left center of the chest, and the bullet came out through the left front shoulder of the canine, destroying the arm and also clipping a brachial artery,” Judd said.
“Ace is a hero, without any doubt at all,” Judd said. He said PSCO will share updates as Ace recovers, and he expects Ace to be recognized at the PSCO Annual Awards Ceremony. “I can’t measure, except in three lives that he saved last night,” Judd said. “He started to shoot, and Ace was there to take the bullets.”
Judd said that Ace’s handler, Deputy Sheriff Natalie Oestreich (pronounced A-strike), most likely saved Ace’s life by calling for medical services and rushing him to Parkway Veterinary Emergency Clinic immediately following the shooting. He said she has not left Ace’s side and was in the room during surgery today.
Once he was stabilized by Dr. Oscar Aguayo and his team at the clinic, Tampa General Hospital’s Aeromed helicopter transported Ace to Veterinary Medical Center at Lakewood Ranch in Bradenton. Judd said transportation by Tampa General Hospital’s Aeromed is provided at no cost for law enforcement K9s injured in the line of duty.
Ace was given at least two units of blood last night, and doctors decided to wait to perform surgery today in hope he would be more stable, according to Judd.
Ace will be retired from duty as a result of his injuries, but he will continue to live with Oestreich. “Ace is part of her family,” Judd said. “There are state funds available every year to help take care of retired canines,” He said, and PSCO will provide support as Ace recovers.
Judd said that since news of the shooting broke, donations have been flooding into Polk Sheriff’s Charities. He said the funds will be used to support Ace and the K9 program. He also shared that the Wiltse Family Trust intends to cover the cost of Ace’s care at Veterinary Medical Center and committed to purchasing a new K9 to replace Ace. According to PSCO, a new K9 officer can cost from $14,000 to $15,000.
Additional funds may be used to purchase a piece of heavy equipment that could clear trees in these types of situations and keep deputies safer, Judd said.
The standoff
On Thursday, Aug. 6, Bowers’ bondsman and PCSO first attempted to apprehend him at his residence. Later, the bondsman was informed by Bowers’ girlfriend, who was cooperative in the investigation according to Judd, that the suspect was in a tent in dense woods near his home, where he planned to hide from authorities after his bond was revoked.
“He intentionally put this tent deep into this forested piece of land, where you had to fight your way in, you had to climb through ditches,” Judd said. “Not only to hide from us, but to present an environment where we couldn’t sneak up on him.”
The bondsman called PSCO to the tent after observing Bowers’ blue bicycle at the scene.
Three deputies, including K9 Ace and Oestreich, were dispatched to the scene. “Ace has been in service with us for six years,” Judd said. “He’s very experienced.”
As they approached, Ace was barking, and the deputies announced themselves and demanded that Bowers give himself up and come out of the tent.
“After several warnings, there’s a voice from inside the tent that says, ‘I’ve got a gun, and I’m going to shoot.’ And he immediately begins to shoot,” Judd said.
Judd said the gun Bowers used in the standoff was stolen from his girlfriend’s mother. It was still in his hand when deputies pulled his body from the tent.
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