A Braintree police dog killed this month while protecting his fellow officers who were also wounded on a domestic violence call this month will have a private memorial service next week at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, officials said Thursday.
The service for K-9 Kitt will begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday and will be limited to uniformed public safety personnel and invited guests, Braintree police said in a statement. Arrangements are being organized by Cartwright-Venuti Funeral Home in Braintree.
Kitt, his handler Officer William Cushing Jr., and Officers Richard Seibert and Matthew Donoghue responded to a domestic disturbance and were searching a wooded area for the suspect when they were ambushed on June 4, Braintree police said in a statement.
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The suspect fired repeatedly at the officers until Kitt charged him, causing him to turn his attention away from them, police said. Officers Cushing, Donoghue, and Kitt sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The suspect was also killed in the exchange of gunfire.
Kitt died of his injuries " valiantly giving his life for the lives of his fellow officers,” police said.
Kitt, a Belgian Malinois, was born in Slovakia in August 2009, police said. He was brought to the United States by Connecticut Canine Services and was purchased by the Braintree Police Working Dog Foundation in 2010.
He was then assigned to Cushing and the two attended a16-week patrol canine academy in order to get certified, police said. Kitt had specialized training in tracking, building searches, locating missing individuals, evidence searches and apprehension.
He was also one of several canines assigned to the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council (Metro-LEC) SWAT team, police said. Kitt assisted numerous communities within the Commonwealth throughout his career.
Kitt and Officer Cushing had “tremendous success” during their 11-years together, police said. In 2016 Kitt was awarded the Braintree Police Medal of Valor for protecting several officers during armed confrontation, and in 2020 he and Cushing found a suspect wanted for a shooting at the South Shore Plaza that resulted in serious injuries and a lockdown of the property.
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“After an extensive track lasting over an hour, Kitt located and apprehended the suspect who was concealed in a densely vegetated swamp,” police said.
Kitt leaves behind Cushing, his K-9 colleague Lucky, “and numerous admirers in and out of uniform,” police said.
Adam Sennott can be reached at adam.sennott@globe.com.