INDIANA -- Indianapolis police fired three gunshots into a pit bull Saturday, killing the dog after he attacked an animal control officer and another person.
Two officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to the 2400 block of Asbury Street, where the dog’s owner lives, shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday. An IMPD report says they were responding to a request for help from the Animal Care and Control officer.
The dog had bitten ACC officer Michael Bonito several times, the report says, and was behind the house when the IMPD officers arrived.
Before the officers found Bonito, the report says, the white pit bull, with blood visible on him, charged at them. Officer Nicholas Hubbs fired his handgun, striking the dog in the neck.
The dog retreated behind the house, but the altercation wasn’t over.
After Hubbs and officer Jose Navarro helped Bonito, who was limping, Hubbs headed back toward the house, his IMPD-issued 12-gauge shotgun in hand.
The report says he found the dog behind the house, on the other side of a chain-link fence. The dog growled and showed his teeth. When the dog attempted to jump the fence, Hubbs fired twice, striking him in the neck and chest.
Those shots “ultimately destroyed the dog,” the report says.
No name was provided for the dog. ACC took his body into custody.
Bonito, the injured ACC officer, was treated at Wishard Memorial Hospital and released later Saturday, ACC spokesman Adam Garrett said Sunday.
The officer originally came to the house to take a report of an earlier bite by the dog Saturday morning.
“He’d gone out to get photos and a statement from the victim, and somebody had the animal in question contained in their car,” Garrett said.
When the dog was let out of the car, Garrett said, he attacked Bonito.
Garrett didn’t have further information about the earlier attack except to say that it was serious and that the victim, a woman, also needed treatment at Wishard. The dog’s owner, Michelle Gonzalez, was issued citations as a result, Garrett said. Gonzalez could not be reached for comment.
(indystar.com - Dec 30, 2012)
