NORTH CAROLINA -- A dog shot by a police officer who attacked him and bit another person tested negative for rabies, Grifton Police Chief Bryan Cauley said.
The pit-bull, named Patches, had attacked a woman walking down Queen Street Sunday afternoon.
Grifton Police officer James Andrews shot the dog after he said it charged toward him and grabbed his pant leg with its teeth while he was outside the dog owner's home.
The pit-bull was sent off for a rabies test on Monday, Cauley said.
Cauley said his department will be determining of charges will be brought against the dog owner for the first attack on the woman.
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A Grifton Police officer shot and killed the dog he was investigating after the animal attacked the officer, according to Grifton Police.
The pit-bull, named Patches, had attacked Madeline Barrow while she was walking on the 700 block of Queen Street Sunday afternoon, police said.
When officer James Andrews arrived at the scene, the dog charged the officer and grabbed his pant leg with its teeth.
"It was either the dog bites me or I lay the dog down," Officer Andrews said. "I chose to lay the dog down."
The officer fired one shot, which killed the animal.
"I could have shot myself the dog was so close," Andrews said.
The call came in at about 2:30 p.m.
Barrow was taken to Pitt County Memorial Hospital with injuries to her leg.
The police officer was not injured.
Whether the animal's owner will be charged is pending the ongoing investigation.
"The dog's owner was really sad," Andrews said. "The dog was part of their family."
Next-door neighbor Douglas Pierce said he's never heard of the dog attacking anyone in the four years he's lived in Grifton.
"I walk past the dog every day and all it does is barks," Pierce said. "It was probably protecting the owner."
The case is still under investigation by the Grifton Police Department which is awaiting the results of a rabies test performed Monday, police said.
Sunday's incident was Andrews' first time firing his weapon in the four years he's been with the department, Andrews said.
Even though he's one of only six officers to patrol Grifton, Andrews said what happened Sunday is a prime example of always expecting the unexpected.
"I didn't want to get hurt," Andrews said. "That's what it's all about. Going home after your shift."
(WCTI - Nov 30, 2011)
