Man Who Stabbed Wife, K9 Had History of Violence

The 51-year-old man who stabbed his wife to death and a San Diego Police K9 to near death before officers shot him, had a history of violence, according to a published report.

Willard Bradley’s 50-year-old wife, recently identified as Gail Bradley, called police just after 8:45 a.m. Friday morning saying her husband was threatening to commit suicide, police said. Her body, which had suffered stab wounds, was found in another room in the house.

When officers arrived at the Bradley home, they saw him in the window with a large knife. He told officers that he had just murdered his wife and he would kill them next. As officers attempted to enter the house, Bradley slammed the door. When officers forced the door open it was then the suspect charged with the knife and Police K9 “Earp” lunged at him.  Bradley stabbed the dog in the neck, and officers opened fire, shooting and killing the suspect.

Bradley had just filed a restraining order against her husband on March 6, according to a published report.  Deputies had removed the man from the home that same day.

It was not the first time Bradley had a restraining order filed against him, the The San Diego Union Tribune reported. Another woman had filed one against him in 1998 for at least 20 different incidents of violent behavior—including throwing the woman down the stairs, turning a dryer over on top of her, choking and slapping her against the wall.

Earp, an 8-year old German Shepherd, is lucky to be alive according to the veterinarian who operated on the dog.  The dog had suffered a severed blood vessel in the attack and had lost a lot of blood.  According to police, his sacrifice was not in vain. Police say the dog probably saved an officer’s life.

Earp is set to retire in a few months.

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