Tennessee: Clarksville police officer hurt, dog shot in 'attack'

TENNESSEE -- Clarksville Police were searching a neighbor's home when Danielle Summford's pit bull broke his lead and ran toward officers.

In the seconds that followed, one officer was severely injured as he lunged backward and fell down an embankment and another police officer shot the dog.

Summerford said her dog, a 4-year-old pit bull named King, had to be euthanized and is upset that police not only killed her pet but cited her with letting an animal run at large.

"If it had been a Labrador retriever, he wouldn't have shot it," Summerford said Tuesday, one week after the incident on Peachers Drive. "I'm not going to say the dog was not charging. He was running toward them. But there are other ways to stop a dog, just like a person. You have a gun, you have a taser, you have mace."

Summerford said she is not only upset that her dog was shot but that an officer fired four shots that could have hit bystanders or gone into her home.

The incident happened after Clarksville Police executed a search warrant on Peachers Drive July 12, said CPD spokeswoman Natalie Hall. She did not say why because that part of the case is still under investigation.

"In the search warrant incident, a dog attacked the officers," she said. "One officer’s reaction caused him serious injuries and the dog was shot."

Summerford was not home when her dog was killed, but she said her fiance was standing outside and saw what happened.

The family knew police were at a neighboring home and waited until things seemed to calm down that night before putting the dog on a lead to potty.

Instead he ran and broke his lead, and was barking as he approached officers, she said. She insists her dog would have stopped before reaching the officers and was only being a dog and protecting his property.

Clarksville Police Chief Al Ansley said one police officer was backing up from the dog when he fell backward down an embankment and suffered a serious back injury.

He said the dog was shot to stop an attack, and an internal investigation was underway but wrapping up. He did not discuss other details.

Summerford said King was shot in the head and her fiance took him to the veterinarian but he had to be euthanized.

She is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 10 for the dog at large charge.

(Clarksville Leaf Chronicle  - July 20, 2016)