Officer Kills Pit Bull After Attacks on Pets : Animals: The dog killed a neighborhood cat, attacked a terrier and then tried to come after the policeman.

A Newport Beach police officer shot and killed a pit bull Thursday night after the dog killed a neighborhood cat, attacked another pet and then tried to come after the officer, police reported.

Police said the dog broke through the fence at the residence where he was being kept while his owner was out of town.

About 6:45 p.m., a resident of the 1200 block of Devon Lane called police to report that a loose pit bull had attacked and killed his 14-year-old cat, police department spokesman Sgt. Andy Gonis said.

“At this point, the officer realizes that this is a very violent animal,” Gonis said. He added that an animal control officer was called to the scene as well.

The officer was trying to contain the dog in one of the yards when it attacked another pet.

“Two people were walking on the public sidewalk, walking with a smaller Airedale terrier,” Gonis said. “Then the pit bull bolts across the street and starts attacking the terrier.”

To break up the dog fight, the officer hit the dog on its head with his baton, momentarily stunning the animal.

But as the officer backed away, the dog came toward him, Gonis said.

With about 2 feet between him and the dog, the officer fired two rounds at the animal, fatally wounding the dog with the second shot, he said. The terrier survived the attack.

No charges have been filed in the incident, and there were no injuries to the people involved.

Gonis said the owner of the pit bull, a Costa Mesa resident, was out of town at the time of the incident.