Pronouns and Antecedents

One of those pesky grammar lessons showed up in today's on-line newspaper in an article about a shooting involving 2 police officers, a K-9 officer, and a fleeing suspect. As the paper describes it,

When he broke free, one of the officers sent his K-9 partner, Ike, to apprehend him, Long said.

As Ike attempted to catch the parolee, he produced a handgun and fired multiple rounds, hitting both the officer and Ike, Long said.

The two officers returned fire, killing the parolee, she said.

I realize that K-9s are as much a part of the police force as their human counterparts, but I had not realized that Ike could "produce a handgun and fire multiple rounds" while chasing a fleeing suspect. Ike, the K-9 officer, died at the scene -- but maybe he'll be awarded a posthumous award for killing the parolee?

After all, that's not something just any ole K-9 can do!!