BOWLING GREEN, KY — A Warren County sheriff’s K9 has made his first real-world weapons recovery after police say a suspect tossed a handgun during a violent pursuit that crossed from Tennessee into Kentucky. K9 Rocky and Deputy Dean Clark were sent to a soybean field off Plano Road after officers could not immediately find the firearm.
The dog quickly picked up the scent and led Clark to the weapon, a 9 mm gun that investigators say Edward Brown had thrown away after allegedly firing at a Portland officer earlier in the chase. Clark said the dog’s first alert came in difficult conditions, with thick brush and darkness making the search especially challenging.
Gunfire at a Portland officer set off the pursuit
The case began over the weekend when police say Brown shot at Portland Officer Matt Stephens. The confrontation escalated into a high-speed chase that started in Tennessee, moved across the state line into Kentucky, and ended in Warren County.
By the time the pursuit stopped off Plano Road, police say Brown had discarded the gun in a field. That left officers searching for the weapon in dense vegetation and low visibility. Clark said the area was so thick that he initially worried Rocky would struggle to move through it, much less identify the gun’s odor.
Instead, the K9 worked through the brush, caught the scent after about 50 yards, and eventually sat when he reached the location of the firearm. Clark said that moment confirmed the dog had found what police were looking for.
Rocky’s first weapons search ended with a successful alert
Clark described the search as Rocky’s first actual callout for a discarded weapon. He said the dog initially had to push through the thick ground cover before his nose dropped to the earth and he began tracking the odor more directly.
After rounding a corner in the field, Rocky sat, signaling the find. Clark said that once he shined a light and officers started digging, they uncovered the gun where the dog had indicated. He said he could not have been prouder of the K9’s work on the team’s first live weapons search.
Clark also said the moment caught him off guard because he was so focused on the discovery that he briefly forgot to reward Rocky. After the recovery, the dog received treats and attention from the officers at the scene.
Edward Brown faces attempted murder and other charges
Authorities say Brown is now lodged in the Warren County Regional Jail. He faces a charge of attempted murder of a police officer, along with fleeing and evading police in a vehicle and on foot and unlawful imprisonment.
Police also said Brown had active warrants at the time of the chase. Investigators allege he was the person who threw away the 9 mm handgun after using it during the incident involving Officer Stephens. The recovery of the weapon was important to the investigation because officers had not been able to find it immediately after the chase ended.
The arrest and charges tie the weapon recovery directly to the earlier gunfire, adding another piece of evidence to the case being built by law enforcement.
Passenger Anastasia Payton was also taken into custody
Police also arrested the passenger and vehicle owner, Anastasia Payton, after the pursuit. She faces charges of fleeing police on foot and possession of marijuana.
Authorities said Payton was also found to be a missing person listed in a national database. That detail added another layer to the case as officers sorted out who was in the vehicle and what their status was when the chase ended.
Her arrest came after the pursuit ended in the soybean field, where officers say both suspects were taken into custody following the multi-state chase.
A strong first outing for the sheriff’s K9 team
For Clark, the recovery stood out because it was Rocky’s first successful alert on a firearm in a real search. He said the dog appeared to understand the assignment, then looked back as if waiting for praise and a reward after doing his job.
Clark said the outcome made the difficult nighttime search feel worthwhile. What began as a dangerous pursuit involving gunfire ended with the weapon found, suspects arrested, and Rocky earning his first live find on a case that had already drawn officers across state lines.
The successful alert gives the K9 team an early milestone and gives investigators a recovered gun that may help document what happened during the chase and shooting.
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