Police shoot pit bull, fire less-than-lethal round at man

Long Beach police shot an unleashed pit bull that was “acting aggressively” and the dog later had to be euthanized, authorities said Thursday afternoon.

Officers also shot a 37-year-old man in the chest with a less-than-lethal round, according to authorities. The man allegedly had violated a restraining order and was trying to prevent a woman from talking to officers who had responded to the home in the 1900 block of San Francisco Avenue.

When officers arrived, the man was “uncooperative” and with the dog. The animal “was barking and acting aggressively toward officers,” Long Beach Police Department officials said in a statement.

The man and dog went back inside the upper-level duplex. Police said officers could see the woman inside the building but that the man “prevented officers from talking to her.”

Officers finally persuaded the woman to come outside. As she walked toward the officers, the dog ran downstairs.

“Officers used an electronic control device in an attempt to control the dog,” police said. But that failed, and at least one officer opened fire on the animal.

The man then ran down the stairs, yelling and trying to get the woman back inside. At that point, he was shot in the chest and retreated to the duplex.

His three children were inside, and he released them after negotiating with officers for about 30 minutes.

The pit bull was taken to a veterinary hospital, “where it was euthanized for humane reasons,” police said.

The man, identified by police as Mark Phillips of Long Beach, was arrested on suspicion of violating a restraining order and obstructing officers.

The incident is under investigation.

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robert.lopez@latimes.com