TEXAS -- A police officer shot and wounded a dog outside a house Friday afternoon after the pit bull attacked an officer who was trying to serve an arrest warrant, Police Chief Tom Whitten said.
Police were seeking David Subia with a warrant on evading arrest, Whitten said.
The dog’s owner, Michael Subia, who is the brother of man for whom police were trying to serve the warrant, said the dog, Peaches, jumped the backyard fence when police tried to serve the warrant.
Michael Subia said the backyard of the home at Morgan Boulevard and Chaparral Lane is gated, like most of the other homes on the block.
During the commotion, he said, Peaches jumped the fence and barked at police.
“She was just barking,” Michael Subia, covered in Peaches’ blood, said. “But they shot her in the face.”
He said Peaches was taken to Arroyo Animal Hospital, where veterinarians told him the dog was expected to recover.
Whitten said that officers were doing their job and followed protocol as they looked for David Subia.
Responding officers wrapped yellow tape around the area where the dog was shot, with blood stains visible in the driveway of the house, about 20 feet from the front door.
Subia said responding officers did not have a search warrant to enter his grandmother’s residence. He also said Harlingen police officers have been “harassing” and “taunting” his brother and his family since an incident more than two months ago. Whitten said that based on information gathered, officers responded to the situation accordingly.
“The department is going to review everything and make sure that what the officers said happened actually happened,” Whitten said. “On a personal note, I’m glad the dog is going to be fine.”
However, Whitten said, he takes accusations seriously and would look into Subia’s accusations.
Michael Subia said that a 9-month pregnant woman, and his niece, 2, and 1-year-old nephew, witnessed the episode.
Officers said they did not find David Subia.
(Valley Morning Star - September 2, 2011)
