According to Sheriff Eric Weisburn, the deputy violated department policy by using lethal force as a first response to an aggressive stray dog call in Canton.
CANTON, Ohio — The Stark County Sheriff’s Office says one of its deputies has been fired after he fatally shot one dog and injured another earlier this week.
According to a release, the incident happened on Tuesday when a resident in the 800 block of 6th Street SW in Canton called 911 to report “two aggressive stray dogs roaming the neighborhood.”
The caller reportedly told sheriff’s deputies that “the dogs had attacked and bitten her grandson. Additional information indicated a second person was also bitten.”
“A deputy from the Stark County Sheriff’s Office – Dog Warden Division responded and located the dogs in the 800 block of 5th Street SW. When the deputy approached the dogs, he discharged his service weapon, fatally shooting one and seriously injuring the other. The injured dog underwent surgery and is expected to survive. The owner of the dogs was cited for allowing the dogs to run at large,” the sheriff’s office stated.
Officials say “following an initial review of the incident, the deputy was terminated for failing to follow proper protocols for handling aggressive animals.”
“While aggressive stray dogs can pose a danger in our communities, there are established procedures for safely addressing these situations, and lethal force is always the last option,” said Stark County Sheriff Eric Weisburn. “In this case, lethal force was the first course of action, which is not acceptable to me or anyone at the Stark County Sheriff’s Office.”
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