Police Officer Shoots Threatening Pit Bull
A Los Angeles police officer responding to a call about a loose animal in a residential neighborhood Monday shot and wounded a pit bull terrier when the dog threatened to attack him, authorities said.
The animal was later euthanized at the request of its owners, authorities said.
The shooting occurred about 7:30 a.m. in the 5300 block of Medina Road, said Officer Mike Partain, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department.
Before the shooting, police had received three phone calls from residents complaining about a loose “vicious” animal, Partain said.
When officers arrived, they spotted the pit bull terrier nearby.
Partain said the dog began growling and baring its teeth and appeared ready to charge one of the officers. The officer fired his gun, striking the dog in the neck, he said.
The dog was removed by workers from the city’s Department of Animal Services and later was euthanized, said Jeff Prang, a spokesman for the agency.
Police said there would be a routine administrative investigation of the officer-involved shooting.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
