K-9 Drago takes final journey home, following emotional week of officer funerals

Memorial held Friday night for Drago

FLOYD COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – Floyd County Police K-9 Drago is coming home. Friday afternoon, Drago was cremated in London at Loyal Friends Pet Cremation. Tonya Poindexter with the Wilderness Trail Wildlife Center captured video of the police escort taking Drago on his final journey. His K-9 handler thanked everyone for the outpouring of support.

“He left a pretty big hole in all of our hearts you know,” said Deputy Justin Szymchack. “Everybody loved that dog and he’s gonna be unreplaceable, that’s for sure.”

A memorial began at 6 p.m. at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg on Friday where a makeshift memorial continues to grow. It comes after an emotional week of funerals for the three officers killed during an ambush attack in a tiny, rural community in the mountains of eastern Kentucky last Thursday.

“They encountered just what I told you, pure hell, when they arrived, they had no chance,” said Sheriff John Hunt with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office.

June 30, 2022 was an unimaginable day for the tiny town of Allen after accused gunman Lance Storz reportedly opened fire on law enforcement serving an emergency protective order.

“This guy had a, what seeemed to be a plan, and he pretty much executed that plan almost to precision,” said Sheriff Hunt.

The shooting would leave three officers and a police K-9 dead and several others injured.

In the days and week to follow, funerals taking place in Prestonsburg for 39-year veteran Floyd County Sheriff’s Deputy William Petry, Prestonsburg Police Captain Ralph Frasure and Prestonsburg Police Officer Jacob Chaffins.

Loved ones and strangers from afar joined together in heartache, all coming to pay their respects.

Even a week later, makeshift memorials remain in the tiny town draped in blue still grappling with the deep loss.

These brave members of law enforcement may be gone but they’ll never be forgotten.

All three officers were laid to rest at Gethsemane Gardens in Prestonsburg.