Witnesses
say 12-year-old male pitbull inside fenced yard was not lunging, growling or
barking.
Police
shot a dog Tuesday in North Toledo while executing a search warrant with the
SWAT team.
People
at the scene said officers shot Schrecongost’s 12-year-old male pitbull that
had been inside the fenced yard when police arrived.
Police
allegedly shot the dog — which onlookers said was not lunging, growling, or
barking — from the sidewalk in front of the house before entering the gate.
Police
officials could not be reached for comment later Tuesday, but department policy
states, “Officers may use a firearm to destroy a dangerous animal that poses an
immediate threat to the officer or others.”
The
dog did not die on the scene, but people there said it was shot twice with a
shotgun and suffered significant jaw and shoulder injuries. The dog was taken
to a veterinary hospital to be euthanized and was then buried in the yard with
neighbors’ help.
