Texas: While investigating pit bull attack on child, pit bull tries to attack officer who shoots it

TEXAS -- A 52-pound female pit bull lunged at a Mount Pleasant Police Officer on Monday night during the first moments of an investigation into a dog bite incident in the 1400 block of Delafield shortly before 7:30 p.m.

Officers were called to the area by the father of a 9–year-old boy who was bitten on the leg while he was playing outside near his home.

The victim, his father and another child witness pointed out the residence where the dog was kept and officers moved to that location.

Police Chief Wayne Isbell played video taken from the patrol vehicle as well as body cameras worn by the responding officers, Corporal Bryant Wills and Officer James Burks.

The video shows Burk speaking with a male at the residence who then went inside and returned with another male and the dog.

The dog, a 52.4 pound female pit bull, is seen exiting the house at 7:29.13 p.m. The dog is unrestrained.

The dog is barking and quickly moves to the driveway area and out into the street with the apparent owner behind her.

Two seconds later, the dog crosses the threshold of the gate and the owner attempts to call the dog back at 7:29.21. The dog lunges at Corporal Wills with her mouth open, but the initial attempt to bite him misses. Willis draws his service weapon from the right holster and fires one second later. The dog is struck in the neck and falls to the ground. She died a short time later.

When viewing Wills body camera, Burks can be seen drawing a Taser, but he does not have a clear shot and firing the Taser could endanger Wills.

The owner then shouts, “She wouldn’t have bit you.” He is obviously distressed, and comforts the dog in her final moments.

“I am sorry that this officer had to shoot a dog that was acting aggressive toward him,” Isbell said in an interview Tuesday morning.

“He had less than 3 seconds to react to a dog that was about to bite him as he was backing up. I hate that he was put in the position that he had to protect himself from being bitten in the middle of the street,” Isbell said.

Isbel points out that in the video, both responding officers are outside the property’s fence line. They both retreated further into the street as the dog approached.

Residents had already been informed the officers were there in conjunction with a dog bite investigation, they just had not yet been able to determine that the dog that lunged at Wills was the same animal that bit the 9-year-old neighbor.

At the time the shot was fired, the child had been taken to the emergency room by his parents.

Records show that Wills has been with MPPD since Aug. 14, 2014. He has 2600 training hours beyond his initial licensing by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

Wills has complete canine encounters, an eight-hour class mandated by the Texas Legislature that instructs officers on less than lethal methods that can be used to protect themselves and others. Those include bite sticks and pepper spray.

“That class also teaches that the officer should take the bite if there is no clear shot,” Isbell said.
The officer has to weigh the situation in just an instant against other people and animas in the immediate vicinity.

The deceased dog is being tested for rabies as part of the initial investigation into the child being bitten. She had several three-week-old puppies, and Isbell said he advised the owner to contact his vet about feeding instructions.

“I offered to put him in contact with members of shelter friends who would assist with feeding, but he said he didn’t need help.” Isbell said.

Prior to his employment with MPPD, Wills was an Army veteran who served from October 2004 to February 2012. He and his wife have a young child.

The investigation into both incidents is ongoing. No one other than the 9-year-old was injured.

(Daily Tribune - June 21, 2016)