Jasko, the Crime Fighting Wonder Dog, once again helps police nab suspect

Authorities have arrested a suspect they believe robbed a southeast Shreveport convenience store early this morning.

     At approximately 3:00 a.m. today, Shreveport Police patrol officers responded to a reported armed robbery at the Circle K in the 9000 block of Youree Drive.

     A witness told investigators that a black male suspect entered the store the store and demanded money from the female clerk.

     After being told she could not open the register, the male suspect raised his shirt to reveal what appeared to be a handgun and ordered her to give him cigarettes. The suspect received numerous cartons of cigarettes and fled the store in what was described as a charcoal gray Dodge four door pick-up truck. No one was injured during this robbery.

     Roughly four hours later, Shreveport Police Cpl. Susan Anderson observed a gray Dodge four door pick-up truck near Wallace Avenue and West 70^th Street. As Cpl. Anderson attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver bailed out of the truck and fled on foot in an apparent attempt to avoid capture.

      Cpl. Anderson pursued the suspect and, assisted by Cpl. Jeffrey Hammer and his K-9 partner Jasko, located him hiding under a home nearby. The suspect refused to obey officers' commands to surrender and Jasko was deployed under the residence.

     Moments later the suspect was taken into custody.

     The accused robber, identified as 42 year old Willie H. Edwards, was transported to LSU Health Sciences Center by a patrolman where he was treated for injuries sustained as the result of being bitten by the police dog. 

     Edwards, of the 200 block of East Elmwood Street in Shreveport, has been booked into the Shreveport City Jail on one count of armed robbery and one count of resisting an officer. Investigators discovered the Dodge pick-up Edwards was driving had been reported stolen and he was charged with one count of illegal possession of stolen things as well.