The suspect who got into a shootout with police in Vancouver last year has been sentenced to five years in prison for the incident which was a very close call for the officers involved, including a service dog.
Robin Landrew Pryce, 53, who appeared in court in a wheelchair Friday, was handed a sentence of three years for using a firearm in the commission of an assault on a police officer, one year for assaulting a police officer, and one year for dangerous driving.
A Vancouver Police Department dog handler said he owes his life to his five and a half year old partner, Police Service Dog (PSD) Jade.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that if it wasn’t for Jade that day, I probably wouldn’t be here speaking to you today,” Const. Jesse Schellenberg told Global News in an interview after Pryce’s sentencing.
“This was definitely something I’ve never seen before, I’ve never personally encountered. (It) was totally unpredictable to me.”
On July 16, 2022, Schellenberg and his K9 responded to a break-in at a building in the 300-block of Railway Street.
Police said patrol members tried to stop a van from leaving the area but its driver took off – eventually causing $27,000 in damage to 12 parked civilian and police vehicles – before crashing into a retaining wall near Commercial Drive and East 2nd Avenue.
“We attempted to arrest the driver at which point he pulled a revolver out, a 357 Magnum revolver, and pointed it at my head,” Schellenberg recalled.
“At the exact same time, my dog Jade engaged him on his leg and he turned the gun from my head to Jade’s head, placed the barrel of the gun on top of Jade’s head and pulled the trigger.”
Jade was grazed by the gunfire.
“The fur on her ear was singed we realized when we took her to the vet so the bullet ran parallel to her skull right past her ear and narrowly missed inside her head.”
Police returned fire in order to arrest Pryce, who suffered gunshot wounds and was taken to hospital for treatment.
Pryce was charged with five offences including flight from police and possessing a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition but those charges were stayed at the conclusion of his sentencing hearing.
Pryce was also given a lifetime firearms ban. With credit for time spent in custody prior to his sentencing, Pryce will serve three years and eight months in prison.
“It was a very close call for Jade,” said Schellenberg.
Although traumatizing and very scary at the time, Schellenberg said the “best partner he could have” was back at work within days, and the pair has since returned to the road.
“She’s a very resilient girl and she bounced back right away.”