Yesterday in Fitchburg a soon to be 11 year old State Police K9 named Frankie was killed during an armed standoff with a career criminal called Matthew Mack. Police had gotten information that Mack was holed up at 40 Oliver Street and was wanted in connection with a July 21 shooting in Fitchburg. After getting ahold of Mack on the phone the MSP and his family members tried to coerce him into surrendering but he refused. Around 3 PM he was seen at the back entrance of the apartment and MSP attempted to apprehend him. Mack began wildly shooting at Frankie and his handler Sergeant David Stucenski, hitting and killing the K9. Two hours later drone footage showed that Mack had killed himself.
Frankie and Sgt Stucenski are both decorated veterans of law enforcement according to the press release:
In 2017, he and Sergeant Stucenski were awarded the Medal of Valor at the state’s annual George L. Hanna Awards for Bravery, the state’s top law enforcement award ceremony. They were honored for apprehending a hit-and-run suspect who, during a foot chase, turned and fired a shot at Sergeant Stucenski and Frankie as they pursued him on a Springfield street. The shot missed the Sergeant and Frankie and Frankie apprehended him. Sergeant Stucenski and Frankie won the State Police Medal of Merit for that same incident.
In 2014, then Trooper Stucenski and Frankie won three awards from the United States Police Canine Association for evidence recovery, agility, and other law enforcement skills. And only last month, our Department honored Sergeant Stucenski and Frankie and other members of the Special Tactical Operations Team for apprehending an armed child pornography suspect who had opened fire on them when they went to arrest him at a West Springfield motel in 2019.
R&I~Smit
Obey