AURORA, CO — An Aurora police officer and his K-9 partner are still dealing with the aftermath of a stabbing that changed both of their careers. Officer Mark Moore was attacked on April 9 while answering a mental health call, and he says the recovery has been unlike anything he has experienced before.
Moore has had about five surgeries since the attack, including a recent procedure in which doctors tried to place a cochlear implant to help with hearing loss. He was left with a severed temporal artery, facial fractures, jaw damage and other serious injuries. Cyrus, his K-9 partner, was also wounded.
How the April 9 response turned violent in Aurora
Police said officers and a crisis response team were working to calm a situation involving a man in mental health crisis at an apartment complex on East Stanford Circle. According to Aurora police, the man ran from the apartment with a knife, leading to the attack on Moore and Cyrus.
During the confrontation, Moore shot and killed the man. The officer has said he believes Cyrus helped save his life by getting the man’s attention and slowing him down long enough for Moore to react. The stabbing ended a call that had begun as an effort to defuse a crisis and quickly became life-threatening.
A recovery marked by surgery, hearing loss and daily setbacks
Moore said the physical and emotional toll has been harder than he expected. He had recovered more quickly from earlier injuries in his career, but this time has been different and much longer…