A City of Arcade police officer was forced to shoot two dogs that attacked him after he responded to a domestic disturbance Saturday night.
Both dogs were hit by the officer’s 9mm gun, but survived, Arcade Police Chief Michael Adams said Monday.
The shooting occurred about 10:45 p.m. during a rainstorm when officer Thomas Duncan arrived in response to an argument after a woman called to complain that a male visitor, who was not invited to her home, had allowed two pit bulldogs inside against her wishes.
The dogs belonged to a relative of the woman, but she was keeping them in the backyard, according to the report.
“Our officer instructed the 911 center to advise them to secure the dogs,” Adams said.
The officer reported that as the man and woman exited the house, the two dogs came out as well.
“The dogs charged at me in a very aggressive manner, barking and snarling while running towards me. Fearing for my safety I drew by duty pistol and shot both dogs,” Duncan reported.
After the gunfire, the man and female and both dogs fled back into the house. Jackson County sheriff’s deputies arrived to assist and the male was placed in handcuffs without incident, according to police.
The officer reported he fired six shots at the dogs, the largest dog was hit four times, the smaller once, and one bullet missed.
The county’s animal control unit arrived, but could not take any official action on the dogs due to the owner not being there, according to Adams.
“Two pit bulls can seriously injure and kill a human and they have,” Adams said, adding that the same officer was bitten by a smaller dog just two weeks earlier on a call. That dog was not shot. The officer is a dog owner and sorry about shooting the animals, according to the chief.
“We don’t want to hurt anybody’s animals, but have a duty to respond. You need to control your animals and not put the officer in a position where he doesn’t’ have a choice but to defend himself,” Adams said.
Law enforcement officers facing aggressive dogs is not rare.
In March, a Jackson County sheriff’s deputy was seriously wounded when a pit bull mix bit him in the face while he was serving a civil paper at a house near Pendergrass, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
The deputy had part of a lip bitten off, gashes in his face and a bite on his arm. He was hospitalized after the attack.
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