It looked like any other suspicious-object call. Park City Police Officer Wayne Henderson and his K-9 partner, Bruno, were dispatched to assist the Utah Highway Patrol at the flyover ramp connecting U.S. Highway 40 and Interstate 80 in Silver Summit, Utah. The object on the shoulder of the road had triggered a closure of both directions of traffic. Someone needed to check it out, and Bruno was the dog for the job.

Bruno, a certified explosives detection K-9, was deployed off-leash — consistent with standard explosive detection training, which deliberately creates distance between the handler and a potential hazard. Henderson signaled Bruno to begin his search by motioning with a ball to "find it," a standard cue in K-9 training.

Park City Police Department

The Moment Everything Changed

Dashcam footage shows Bruno beginning his search pattern, briefly looking back, then unexpectedly moving to the opposite side of the roadway and jumping over the concrete barrier separating the flyover from eastbound I-80 below. 

The handler called for a life flight before rushing down to Bruno and lying beside him. Henderson drove his vehicle down the overpass to where Bruno lay on the ground below, trying to stand, and then sat with the K-9 to keep him secure while waiting for medical help.

An ambulance arrived nine minutes later to take Bruno to the landing zone for a medical helicopter, and he was flown to MedVet in Salt Lake City.

Park City Police Department

The Injuries — and the Fight to Survive

Bruno, a two-year-old chocolate Labrador Retriever from Park City, had suffered serious injuries during the fall. He underwent surgery for two broken legs and a fractured jaw.

Despite his injuries, the young Chocolate Lab was reported to be stable and in good spirits while receiving care from veterinary professionals. He was released from a veterinary hospital three days later and continues to recover at home.

It is not known if he will return to active duty. In a statement after his surgery, the police department said: "Bruno still has a long road ahead, but we are very happy to see him home and on his way to recovery."

A Historic Dog for a Small Department

At just two and a half years old, Bruno already held an extraordinary place in the department — he was Park City's first-ever K-9, making his recovery especially meaningful to the officers and community who had welcomed him into the force.

The investigation that sent him up that overpass ultimately revealed nothing more sinister than a broken-apart car battery. The Utah Highway Patrol dispatched another dog to the scene after Bruno was attended to in order to confirm the finding.

Park City Police Department

Protocol Followed, Questions Remain

At the department's request, the Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training K-9 Program conducted an independent review of reports and footage and found Officer Henderson "deployed K-9 Bruno in accordance with standard POST K-9 tactics."

What led Bruno to jump remains unclear. Park City Police Chief Wade Carpenter called it "an unfortunate incident that occurred during a serious law enforcement response." He added that Bruno is more than a police K-9 — "He's a partner, a companion and part of our police family," KSL reports.

The package of footage released by the department includes the original 911 call, dashcam video, and the emergency response following Bruno's fall, KUTV reports. The video has drawn an outpouring of support for the dog and his handler from across the country.

The department expressed gratitude for that support, saying: "After everything Bruno has been through over the past few days, we are grateful he can begin the next part of his recovery at home, surrounded by the people who know and love him best," ABC4 reports. For now, Bruno rests — battered, healing, and by all accounts still very much loved.