Bitten and Cornered, Officer Kills Pit Bull

After being bitten and cornered on top of a car, a police officer shot to death a pit bull terrier that had earlier been banned by the town because of its reported attacks on residents, officials said Thursday.

Officer Manuel Cachopa said he shot the dog Wednesday to protect children standing nearby.

Louis Gomes, the dog’s owner, said he had brought the animal back to the neighborhood for treatment by a veterinarian. It was not known where the dog had been kept since it was banned.