The Springfield Police Department is mourning the loss of one of its own. K-9 "Grom" was killed in a freak accident when he ran into sharp branches protruding from a fallen tree, according to the police department.
Officials said Grom was running along a wooded trail in Palmer, Massachusetts, on Friday afternoon with his partner of two years, Officer Jasinski, when he hit the tree branches.
Grom died instantly. He was only 3 years old.
Springfield police said Grom was "highly regarded" among K-9 teams in Connecticut and Massachuestts. He patrolled the streets of Springfield, helping to track suspects and uncover illegal drugs.
K-9 officers from around the region gathered in Palmer on Friday to say pay "one final tribute" to a police dog described as one of the very best.
