ARIZONA -- A service dog belonging to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was attacked by a pit bull Thursday morning while agents served a state warrant on one of two Tucson area properties.
The dog, named Bora, was rushed to a veterinary clinic for treatment, Carlos Canino, assistant special agent in charge of ATF in Southern Arizona and New Mexico, said.
The pitbull broke loose and mauled Bora while members of a Dallas-based ATF regional SWAT team were searching a property on South Mission Road between West Silverlake Road and West 36th Street for firearms and drugs. The search was part of a joint ATF and Tucson Police Department investigation into gang activity.
“The guys were hands on with that dog trying to pull it off,” Canino said of the agents who ultimately had to shoot the pit bull to save Bora.
A second, federal warrant in an unrelated case was served on a property in the 5600 block of South Alexandria Road near West Ajo Highway and South Sandario Road. The warrant was obtained as the result of a tip received during a Border Patrol traffic stop, Canino said.
As of late morning Thursday, no suspects had been arrested, but firearms, ammunition and other items of interest had been recovered from the Alexandria Road property, Canino said.
The search was conducted with the assistance of Border Patrol and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
(Arizona Daily Star - Jan 24, 2013)
