According to Acting Chief Inspector Cal Smith, at around 12.38pm yesterday, police officers and a dog warden responded to a report of animal cruelty in the area of Court Street and Elliot Street.
However, after police spoke with the 19-year-old suspect, the teenager ran, turning his dog on the officers.
The dog, believed to be a brown pit bull, attacked a passerby and a dog warden before an armed officer shot the animal. “He determined that the nature of the attack required the use of lethal force and he discharged his firearm,” Mr Smith said. “Two shots were fired at the dog and the dog died from its injuries.
“In keeping with our policy on the use of police firearms an inquiry has commenced immediately to ensure that all protocols were followed, but at this early stage it appears that the firearm was discharged in accordance with and under the authority of our policies.”
The teenage suspect was arrested by officers with the assistance of members of the public by chase, and yesterday afternoon remained in custody. Mr Smith said the shooting was the only police shooting in “recent days,” but The Royal Gazette understands that it was actually the first incident in which Bermuda police fired live rounds on duty.
In January 2001, Police officers shot Stephen Proctor with rubber bullets after he threatened family members in a rooftop standoff on Rockywood Drive.
Following the incident, police both armed and unarmed blocked off access to the area while forensics officers photographed the scene and removed the animal's body.
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| A forensics officer carries a dog warden's noose as evidence following the shooting of a dog near the junction of Union and Angle Streets. The dog was shot dead by police after the owner set it upon dog wardens and police officers yesterday. |
A spokeswoman for the Department of Environmental Protection said that dog wardens are trained in the use of bite sticks and control poles to fend off dog attacks. “However, in this particular case, those options were not enough to control the animal,” the spokeswoman said. “Wardens are not trained in the use of tazers or stun/tranquilliser guns.”
One woman who lives in the area said she didn't see the incident, but heard the gunshots and thought it had been another gang shooting.
“I heard gunshots and thought, ‘Oh no, not again',” she said. “We seem to get shootings every month now.”
Another resident said: “All of this foolishness going on and they shoot a dog? It's ridiculous.”
As the news broke yesterday, The Royal Gazette's website received dozens of comments, both supporting and condemning the shooting of the dog.
One poster, Bda Jayme, wrote: “They should have tazed the dog and shot the owner.”
T Williams wrote: “Animal cruelty ... I can't believe they shot the dog. not even try to restrain it ... even a spurt of pepper spray would have made it retreat instantly.
“To protect ourselves doesn't mean we have to kill ... but I guess that is the example they want to set.”
However Dwain Smith defended the officer's actions, saying: “In the US a dog is considered a weapon if it is set upon an officer. There have been many cases where police have killed dogs.
“There is definitely no pleas[ing] Bermudians, as the police are damned if they do and damned if they don't.”
(Royal Gazette - May 28, 2011)
