Braintree Kids Have Lemonade Stand Honoring Police K-9 Kitt

BRAINTREE, MA — Two Braintree kids organized a lemonade stand to raise money in honor of police K-9 Kitt, who was killed while protecting his handler from a man authorities said wounded two police officers in a shooting near the Braintree Village apartments.

John Keane, the father of Amy and Finola, said his daughters raised more than $1,100 Sunday for the Braintree Police Working Dog Foundation, a nonprofit that helps support Braintree police's K-9 unit.

"I couldn't be any prouder," Keane said. "A father is proud of his princesses anyway, but this just topped everything."

Kitt's death came on June 4 when his handler Officer William Cushing Jr. and officers Matthew Donaghue and Richard Seibert responded to a domestic violence call involving a gun. Police said the gunman hid in the woods and ambushed the officers, leaving Cushing and Donaghue with serious injuries. Kitt was shot and killed when he heroically advanced towards the suspect, distracting his attention away from the officers.

Amy and her sister said they were overwhelmed by the number of people that showed up. Customers included five police cruisers worth of officers, Mayor Charles Kokoros, firefighters, paramedics and other members of the community. Police officers that attended, including Cushing, posed for a picture with the two girls and publicly thanked them on Facebook.

Keane said his daughters sold the lemonade for 50 cents per cup, but the majority of people donated $20. He said two people even put in $100.

But Amy said she was just happy to help.

"I thought since they needed the bulletproof vests for the dogs, I decided this is the best idea to do it," Amy said.

And it looks like the idea may have inspired others in the community to do the same thing. Brooke and Owen over on Bradford Street also hosted a lemonade stand Wednesday in honor of Kitt.