People.com Crime Florida Police Praise 'Brave' K-9 Officers Who Took Bullets Meant for Deputies During Carjacking Two K-9 officers, Ax and Endo, are recovering from injuries received while responding to an armed carjacking that ended in a shootout By Vanessa Etienne Vanessa Etienne Twitter Vanessa Etienne is an Emerging Content Writer-Reporter for PEOPLE. Prior to joining in April 2021, she served as a reporter for Men's Health Magazine and BET Digital after freelancing for publications such as The New York Times and Everyday Health. Originally from northern Virginia, Vanessa is a proud Haitian American with a love for R&B music and mental health topics. She graduated from North Carolina State University with a bachelor's in Communication and Public Relations before earning her master's degree in Journalism from the City University of New York. People Editorial Guidelines Published on September 15, 2021 02:13 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Two Florida K-9 officers are being praised for their "brave" service after taking bullets that were meant for deputies during a carjacking that ended in a shootout, according to police. On Friday, at around 11:30 pm., police responded to call from a Lyft driver on reports of a carjacking near Daytona, according to a release from the Volusia Sheriff's Office. The Lyft driver explained to authorities that he had picked up a passenger and drove him to his requested location. However, when the driver arrived to a "remote stretch" of Reed Ellis Road in the Osteen area, the passenger allegedly "held a gun to his head and forced him to get out of his white Kia Sedona minivan before stealing it." The Lyft driver then dialed police for help 15 minutes later. Police later tracked down the stolen vehicle, but the suspect — a man identified as 21-year-old Shedrick Singleton Jr. — allegedly fled the vehicle, running into a wooded area to hide, according to the press release. Officials state that after being located by law enforcement overhead and tracked down by Deputy A.J. Davis and K-9 Ax after 2 a.m., Singleton appeared from the bushes and allegedly opened fire, shooting Ax in the face. Singleton then continued into the woods, police claim. Volusia County Sheriff’s Office N.H. Father Accused of Putting Infant in Clothes Dryer, Turning It On Before Mom Intervened After the VSO SWAT team, drone operators, and additional law enforcement arrived at the scene, gunfire was allegedly exchanged between police and Singleton before the suspect was taken down with multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Sheriff's Office. K-9 Endo sustained injuries during the shootout, police said. "K-9 Endo was shot during the exchange and rushed from the scene for treatment as additional units moved in to treat Singleton's wounds," the release stated. Singleton — who was transported to Central Florida Regional Hospital with life-threatening injuries — has been arrested and faces charges, including: armed carjacking and use of a deadly weapon against a police K-9. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Speaking on the K-9 deputies' courage, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said during a press conference Saturday: "There is no doubt that K-9 Ax and K-9 Endo took bullets that were meant for my deputies, because if the deputies would have gone into the woods, the first person to come into contact with [the suspect], without a doubt, would have been shot." He continued, "They are so smart. They are so brave. They are part of our law enforcement family." That afternoon, law enforcement also released body-cam footage from the incident, which included the moment one of the dogs was shot and taken to the animal hospital. Volusia County Sheriff’s Office 4 People Found Shot Dead Inside SUV in Wisconsin Cornfield: 'Everybody's a Suspect,' Police Say Chitwood stated that Ax and Endo were treated at the Animal Emergency Hospital Volusia and the Veterinary Emergency Center of East Volusia, respectively, where they underwent surgery for their injuries. The Sheriff's Office shared photos updating members of the community on their condition saying, "These guys are right back on their feet," before thanking everyone for the support. According to police, Endo is a previous recipient of the VSO Medal of Valor and Purple Heart for the K-9's work responding to a domestic violence incident in 2015. Chitwood said during the press briefing that Endo will most likely retire now after his past injuries so that he can "enjoy his life." The carjacking remains under investigation. An attorney for Singleton was not immediately.