Police Await Toxicology Report in Tyson’s Death

The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) has confirmed that the mysterious death of police dog Tyson remains under active and thorough investigation, with toxicology results still pending to determine the cause.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ronald DeFreitas revealed that a necropsy had been conducted and samples from the animal had been sent to the forensic laboratory for analysis.

“The death of Officer Tyson remains under very serious investigation,” he said. “In fact, a team has been put together to investigate the cause of Tyson’s death.  

“What we have done is to have taken samples from Tyson. These samples are with our forensic lab as we speak, and so, as soon as these samples are diagnosed, then we can tell you exactly what the cause of death was.”

DeFreitas added that the toxicology report would help clarify the initial findings from the veterinary pathologist.

Tyson, a police K-9 gifted by the Government and people of France, was found dead in June under suspicious circumstances, with widespread speculation that he had been poisoned.

However, the RSLPF did not release an official statement until July 2, days after rumours and conspiracy theories began circulating on social media and talk shows.

Addressing criticism over the delay, ACP Dr Mashama Sealy explained that internal notifications, including to Tyson’s handler, his K-9 unit and other relevant authorities, were prioritised before any public announcement.

“Out of respect for the emotional toll of this loss, the Force ensured that all key stakeholders were briefed and had the opportunity to process the event before this announcement was shared with the public,” she said. 

Sealy also disclosed that a postmortem had been conducted and a full criminal investigation was underway, involving forensic testing, environmental assessments, witness interviews and a review of recent K-9 deployments.

PC 642 Tyson was described as a highly trained police dog whose work in narcotics and weapons detection played a vital role in national security operations.