Kansas: Three people bitten by 2 dogs at Chesney Park; one dog shot, survives

KANSAS -- A Topeka police officer who shot a pit bull type dog Thursday afternoon in central Topeka’s Chesney Park “probably saved several lives,” said Topeka Police Chief James Brown.

The dogs attacked and bit Caleb Davis, 11, who escaped to the top of some monkey bars, said his
aunt, Rochelle Davis. They also bit two men — ages 21 and 33, who tried to intervene — before one dog was shot and both were captured by Topeka police, said Deputy Police Chief Brian Desch said.

  

  

In this photo, a man stands on a picnic
table to avoid the two dogs attacking him.

Police weren’t releasing the name of the officer who shot the dog.

The captures ended a chaotic situation in which police and firefighters sought to subdue the dogs using a pole snare, a nightstick and water from firehoses, witnesses said.

Caleb was taken by private vehicle to a Topeka hospital while the men were taken by American Medical Response ambulances to Topeka hospitals. Their injuries — which included wounds to the arms, legs and torso — didn’t appear to be life-threatening, Desch said.

Both dogs remained alive and in custody, and one was being treated at a veterinarian’s office, he said.
Brown said at a news conference Thursday, “I think we did what the community pays us to do, and that is protect them.”

Desch said police had located a person thought to own the dogs, were continuing to investigate and hadn’t issued any citations.

Witnesses describe seeing two pit bulls attacking children at

Chesney Park Thursday afternoon after being

attacked by the dogs themselves.

He said police patrol officers and animal control officers were dispatched to the scene at 2:09 p.m. after receiving multiple calls regarding the attack on the southern edge of Chesney Park. The attack took place in the 1800 block between Clay and Buchanan streets.

Desch described Central Park as a “popular place for children to come and play.”

Rochelle Davis said she called police after the dogs attacked and bit Caleb as other youngsters took cover atop playground equipment.

“All the kids were screaming and panicking,” Davis said. “And they were all getting up high and telling me to get up high.”

Caleb — who subsequently climbed to safety atop some monkey bars — was taken to a Topeka hospital by his mother, Sarah Davis, Rochelle Davis said. Names of the other victims hadn’t been released.

In this photo, two girls take cover on a toy after two
 dogs attacked the area, injuring at least three

Topeka firefighters were the first authorities to arrive on the scene, where Davis said they used hoses to spray water to try to keep the dogs from getting to people.

At the time, the dogs were trying to get at a man who was atop a picnic table, police said.

No one was bitten after firefighters arrived, Desch said. He said the water firefighters sprayed kept the dogs down and directed them away from people.

After Topeka police patrol and animal control officers arrived, Desch said animal control officers used pole snares to try to subdue the dogs but they continued to be aggressive.

Desch said an officer next tried to deal with one of the dogs using a nightstick, which Brown said was “completely ineffective.”

That officer then fired a single shot, striking one of the dogs in the leg, Desch said. He indicated the dogs were taken into custody soon afterward.

People who came to the scene included a man who carried a butcher knife and a cell phone, which he used to videotape part of what happened, witnesses said. Police said they acquired and viewed the cellphone video.


In this photo, a Topeka police officer
fends off the two attacking dogs

Desch said two investigations were underway. One was to review the defensive action taken by the officer who shot the dog while other was to look into potential criminal charges related to the vicious dogs, he said.

Rochelle Davis said she thought the same dogs last week escaped their home and bit her sister, Sarah Davis, Caleb’s mother, who didn’t feel compelled to report it.

Anyone with knowledge of these incidents is asked to call the Topeka Police Department at (785) 368-9200 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 234-0007. Reports may also be made online at http://www.topekacrimestoppers.org/.

(CJ Online - Aug 6, 2015)