CALIFORNIA -- Deputies in Taft are forced to shoot a pit bull after it traps a family in its car. The family called 911 after they say the dog repeatedly tried to attack them as they tried to get out of their car.
The victims say the pit bull first trapped them in their house.
But they managed to get to their car so they could go to an important appointment.
But when they got home, that’s when they found themselves captive in their own car.
It happened Tuesday night at a Derby Acres home.
Jacinda Martin, her husband and their two kids ages 6 and 9 were trapped in their SUV by what they say was an extremely aggressive pit bull.
"When my husband tried to shoo it away, it was like snarling and acting like it was going to launch itself toward him," Jacinda Martin said.
They were just feet away from their front door and safety, but they say they couldn't risk getting out of the vehicle with their two kids with them.
"We pulled up, and at one point I was like looking out of my window, and it was right there, so I was really scared to get out," Martin said.
The paw marks are still visible on the door of the SUV from the pit bull.
The Martins say they felt like they were out of options, so they called 911.
Deputies from the Taft substation responded and were immediately met by the pit bull.
“As he exited his car, he was attacked by a 35 pound male pit bull," Kern County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Martin Downs said.
At first the deputy tried scare the dog off with his night stick.
"In this case the deputy used his baton to fend off this dog. He struck the dog and the dog continued to charge him. He had no choice but to use his fire arm to protect himself," Downs said.
"He tried to, I guess, fend it off a little bit with his baton and it was extremely aggressive. We heard one of them say. 'You're going to have to shoot it,'" Martin said.
Deputies say the dog was shot once, but even with a gunshot wound the dog kept trying to attack the deputy.
"It was like a possessed dog," Downs said.
The deputy finally killed the dog with three shots. Martin says she is sorry the dog died, but she is also grateful to deputies for protecting her and her kids.
"It’s unfortunate. It's sad that it had to happen that way," Martin said.
Deputies say they have not located the owner of the dog.
(23ABC - August 17, 2011)
