Suspect shot after police dog stabbed

An Edmonton police officer shot andseriously injured asuspect early Thursday afterthe manallegedly attacked a police dog with a knife.

The man, whose name was not immediately released, underwent surgery Thursday, asdidthe police dog,Wizzard. The man was listed in stable condition.

Edmonton police spokeswoman Karen Carlson said police officer drew his gun because of the potenial danger to the public.

"The police service dog is absolutely considered to be a police member," she said.

"Under the circumstances and the information we have at this time, this type of action was warranted, absolutely."

Four menseen with weapons

The incident began at around 1:30 a.m. when officers spotted four men getting out of a carat 99 Street and 69 Avenue.

Carlson said the men, who were accompanied by a pit bull and allegedlyarmed with weapons including baseball bats and batons, were heading to a house known to police when the officers intercepted them.

The officersgrabbed two of the men, and then went into the house to check on the people inside. At that point,a man armed with a knife fled through a bathroom window.

When officers confronted the man, Carlsonsaid, he refused to drop the knife.

"He proceeded to run and then the police service dog was deployed. As the police service dog approached the subject, he slowed, turned around and aggressively began stabbing our police dog,"Carlson said.

"Given those circumstances, the officer's only choice at that time was to pull his weapon, resulting in shots being fired and the suspect being hit."

Police are investigating how many shots were fired, and are stilllooking fortwo other suspects.