INDIANA -- Officials are investigating if deadly force was correctly used after an off-duty officer shot his neighbor's dog on Sunday.
Babi, a 7-month-old black and white pit bull, was shot in the chest on Sunday, according to the dog's owner Erica Martinez and a police report.
In the police report, which the officer submitted to the Hammond Police Department, the dog was described as growling and aggressively lunging at the officer, Chief Brian Miller said.
"We will look at the incident to make sure it was within the guidelines of our deadly force policies," he said.
If an officer feels threatened, he or she is allowed to use their firearm to defend themselves, Miller said.
"That is not our first response," he said. "However pit bulls can be dangerous. The officer felt threatened so he fired his weapon."
The dog underwent surgery Sunday night. After surgery, veterinary officials informed Martinez that the dog's lungs were filling up with blood and she would have to be euthanized.
The officer issued Martinez a city ordinance violation for a dog off of its leash.
"This had nothing to do with my dog being vicious," Martinez said Monday. "She wanted to play."
(Hammond Community - May 23, 2011)
