Lexington County Sheriff's Department mourns K-9 Sam after he died from an apparent heat-related illness

Lexington, SC 07/11/25 – The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department is mourning the loss of K-9 Sam after he passed away recently from what is being described as a heat-related illness. Sam was a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois who entered into service earlier this year. According to Sheriff Jay Koon, Sam was working in a training scenario at the time that he began struggling with the medical emergency.

According to the Department’s social media page, Sam was early in his career, but he was already more than just a partner to his handler, Deputy Saunders. Sam was a trusted teammate and a protector. His loss is deeply felt by all who had the privilege of working alongside him.

Click on this ad to learn more about our products and services

As soon as Sam became ill, Deputy Saunders rushed him to the vet. Sadly, there was nothing the vet could do for this illness that came on quickly and with little to no warning.

Sheriff Koon is committed to all the personnel of his Department. As a result of this loss, the LCSD will evaluate its K-9 training program to see if there are any chnages or updates that need to be made.

Meanwhile, the Department asks that the community keep Deputy Saunders and their K-9 unit in your thoughts as they mourn the loss of a partner and friend.