Philadelphia, PA – A Philadelphia police officer in the 39th District was involved in a fatal shooting of a pit bull that was attacking another dog on Wednesday afternoon. The incident took place at approximately 12:06 p.m. when officers responded to a distress call regarding a dog attack.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers encountered a large pit bull viciously attacking a smaller dog. In an attempt to stop the attack, the officer discharged their firearm multiple times, ultimately resulting in the death of the pit bull. Sadly, the smaller dog also did not survive the injuries sustained during the attack.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the responding officers. However, an unintended consequence of the shooting was the injury of a 66-year-old Black male, who was struck in the left forearm by a bullet fragment that ricocheted during the incident. Despite the injury, he 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) for further evaluation and care. The entire sequence of events was captured on the body-worn camera of the officer who discharged their firearm.
The officer, a 30-year-old veteran with seven years of experience in 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 recent incident adds to a series of events in which aggressive pit bulls have been involved in attacks on residents in the city, leading to the use of deadly force by police officers to address the situations. The ongoing concerns surrounding pet ownership and public safety continue to be a topic of discussion and action within the community.