OREGON -- Portland police say the pit bull shot and killed by a transit officer had a history of aggressive behavior.
Lt. Robert King says officers went to a bus stop at North Lombard and North Interstate around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday after reports that a man was trying to bring his dog on a bus.
Officers identified the man as Richard Cook. According to investigators, Cook was extremely drunk when they contacted him at the bus stop.
King says Cook's dog, a pit bull, was off-leash at the bus stop and was not muzzled.
Officers say Buddy, the pit bull, was required to be muzzled and on a leash when he was out in public.
The requirement stemmed from two incidents in 2010 in which Buddy bit two people, including a 2-year-old girl.
In the first case, officers responded to Southeast 38th Avenue and Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard on reports of a dog bite. When they showed up, they found the girl has been bit by Buddy.
Cook went to jail for a warrant and the dog was taken by Multnomah County Animal Control.
On Dec. 15, 2010, police responded to a report of a pit bull that had bitten a skateboarder at the same location as the first incident. Officers say they learned on this occasion that Buddy used to be a fighting dog.
Animal Control told Cook on June 2 that because of the other bites, the pit bull was required to have a muzzle at all times. Police said Cook refused and was cited for having a dog as a public nuisance.
On Wednesday, the officer who shot Buddy told Cook to get control of the dog but Cook failed to do so, King says.
The pit bull "aggressively advanced on the officer and the officer tried swatting the pit bull away but the pit bull continued to be aggressive and attempted to bite the officer," King says.
The officer fired two shots and killed Buddy, officers say.
King says witnesses told officers that Buddy was being aggressive with three other people before officers arrived.
Cook was in Multnomah County Court on Thursday afternoon. He did not enter a plea and refused to have an attorney appointed for him.
The judge determined there was enough probable cause to hold Cook in jail until his next court appearance on Sept. 1.
(KPTV - August 25, 2011)
