Philadelphia, PA – A Philadelphia police officer fatally shot a pit bull that was attacking another dog in an incident that occurred on Wednesday afternoon. The officer, a veteran of the police department, responded to a distress call regarding a dog attack around 12:06 p.m.
Upon arrival at the scene, officers encountered a large pit bull aggressively attacking a smaller dog. In an attempt to stop the attack, the officer discharged his firearm multiple times, resulting in the deaths of both the pit bull and the smaller dog.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the responding officers. However, an unintended consequence of the shooting was the injury of a 66-year-old man who was struck in the left forearm by a bullet fragment that ricocheted during the incident. Despite the injury, the man declined medical attention at the scene.
Both dogs involved in the incident were removed from the scene and taken to the Philadelphia Animal Care and Control Agency (PACCA). The entire event was captured on the body-worn camera of the officer who discharged his firearm.
Following standard procedure, the officer, who is a seven-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department and currently assigned to the 39th Police District, has been placed on administrative duty pending investigations by the Internal Affairs and Officer-Involved Shooting divisions.
This incident marks the third recent occurrence in Philadelphia where aggressive pit bulls have attacked residents, leading to police officers being forced to respond by using deadly force against the animals. The community is urged to remain vigilant and report any dangerous animal behavior promptly to prevent further tragic incidents.