Police responded to a report of a suspicious person in the area of Helfin's Garage in Fredericksburg on May 3, the Stafford County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook.
Officers initially thought the man was involved in an earlier shooting when instead he told workers he had a video of a shooting and needed to leave the area. He then fled on foot, the office said.
K9 Ruby and Deputy Eastman set out to find the man in the nearby woods and as soon as they arrived, Ruby went straight to work by sniffing the ground.
The K9 picked up a scent right away and was able to successfully lead Dep. Eastman to the man, who was hiding underneath a pile of leaves.
He was later taken into police custody but determined to not have been involved in the shooting but suffering from mental health issues, according to the office. The man was later taken to a local center for treatment.
People flooded the office's comments section reacting to Ruby's accomplishment.
"Good Girl K9 Ruby! Such a good track," one Facebook user said. "You helped a life in need. Keep it up Sweetie."
"Way to go K-9 Ruby ❤️ excellent work," another user said. "All Stafford County’s K-9’s are just the best!!!
A "paw-sitive" recovery indeed!
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