Allegheny, PA: Sherrif shoots, kills leashed pit bull

[Miakoda]

Allegheny County, PA

Sheriff's deputy shoots, kills pit bull on leash in Brighton Heights

By The Tribune-Review
Friday, November 14, 2008

An Allegheny County Sheriff's deputy shot and killed a pit bull who he said attacked him Thursday while he was serving papers at a home in the city's Brighton Heights neighborhood.

Pittsburgh police said it was only after the dog was dead that the deputy found out the animal was on a thin, long leash.

The deputy was not injured in the incident, which occurred about 1:15 p.m. at a home in the 1100 block of Davis Avenue.</

http://www.pittsbur ghlive.com/ x/pittsburghtrib /news/cityregion /s_598415. html



Police say sheriff's deputy fatally shot pit bull
Friday, November 14, 2008
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a pit bull yesterday at a Brighton Heights home by an Allegheny County sheriff's deputy who said the dog lunged at him.

The deputy was serving a civil order at a house in the 1100 block of Davis Street, where he opened a gate and spotted a tan and white pit bull named Lincoln, police said.

The deputy told officers the dog growled, charged and jumped at him, before he fired his gun, fearing for his safety.

First published on November 14, 2008 at 12:05 am

http://www.post- gazette.com/ pg/08319/ 927934-100. stm

 

[Miakoda]

"attacked"...."lunged"......which is it?

When will this crap ever stop? Now you have the right to go onto someone's property & shoot their restrained dog?

 

[Zoom]

They'd better do something to that officer. If he's that trigger happy, what happens if he mistakes a kid carrying a stick?

 

[Laurelin]

At least they're investigating. Hopefully some good will come out of that. Seriously shooting a restrained dog on it's own property is just.... grrrr.

 

[Renee750il]

Guess what? We live in a police state, whether anyone wants to face the reality of it or not.

Every day I am more and more ashamed of the society in which I live. And angrier and more disgusted.

 

[Romy]

That is just sick. Rest in peace Lincoln.

Really there ought to be some kind of class on how to read dog behavior and avoid getting bitten for these idiots. They get training for everything else, obviously this is getting to be an issue, something needs to be done about it. Like suspensions or badge pulling.

 

[TheGoldenRetriever]

"attacked"...."lunged"......which is it?

^^^ Exactly what I'm wondering.

"Attack" = Dog is already on a person or another dog, and is either attempting to bite or is already actively biting.

"Lunge" = Dog jumps at person or another dog, but is restrained either by someone or something such as a leash or tether.

Not nearly the same thing. So which one is it?

 

[RivetLikeWhoa]

the thing I don't understand, is if it lunged at him, and it was restrained, then he had to of noticed that the dog hadn't latched on to him yet and there was obviously something holding the dog back.

What ever happened to warning shots? Most of these shootings could have easily been avioded by a warning shot. If the dog doesn't run off or back away after a warning shot, then obviously the officer would need to take more drastic measures.

 

[release the hounds]

I don't know, I think the officer was a little trigger happy, but again there is hardly enough info to form a good opinion.

You don't know the history of the place he was serving, or what type of environment it was, or neighborhood. Maybe this guy has an irrational fear of pitbulls, maybe it's in an area where he should have a fear of pitbulls unless he likes getting bit by dogs.

What type of people was he serving a warrant to? what was the warrant for? I could easily see a situation where a thin line is used as a tether and if the dog lunges and acts aggressively you act before you look to see if he's restrained or not.

There's been a few times where I've been walking along and a dog comes tearing after me and I thought I was getting bit, only to be saved by a chain that I had never seen. When you see a dog coming at you and he looks like he wants to rip you up, what are you going to do? It may come out in the end that this guy is a real dirtball cop, or it could be just another tragedy in which dirtball people own a dog to do their dirty work and the dog paid the price. I'm not ready to execute the cop based on the info in the article.

 

[Bahamutt99]

The officer went inside a gate. If he was in fear for his life, he could've easily stepped back out the gate and closed it.

 

[LauraLeigh]

The officer went inside a gate. If he was in fear for his life, he could've easily stepped back out the gate and closed it.

:hail:

Man, that is brutal!!!! Grrrrrrrr

 

[Renee750il]

The officer went inside a gate. If he was in fear for his life, he could've easily stepped back out the gate and closed it.

Grrrrrr . . . .

And they give people with this kind of vast stupidity and utter inability to make rational decisions . . . GUNS. And AUTHORITY.

Bah.

 

[vomdominus]

Being a cop, it's really frightening to see how many people hate us for defending ourselves. It's even more frightening to see how many people assume that the cop was evil for shooting the dog, without knowing the circumstances.

Personally, I would have OC'd the dog though. Oil based 22% OC pepper spray is the most painful thing I've ever experienced. It will take the paint off of a car, I think it could stop a dog.

 

[Squishy22]

Guns are not supposed to be used as "warning shots". They are for lethal force ONLY.

With that said, I think the officer should have used something to deter the dog, like pepper spray. Something that was not lethal.

Common sense would tell you to look out for guard dogs BEFORE you enter someones property.

One reason why I will always have a "beware of dog" or "security dog" sign on my property/fence. Who knows, they might have had a sign like that and the officer did not notice, and I think thats even worse...

 

[Miakoda]

Being a cop, it's really frightening to see how many people hate us for defending ourselves. It's even more frightening to see how many people assume that the cop was evil for shooting the dog, without knowing the circumstances.

Personally, I would have OC'd the dog though. Oil based 22% OC pepper spray is the most painful thing I've ever experienced. It will take the paint off of a car, I think it could stop a dog.

I never said cops are evil. Hell, one of my best friends is an LA State Trooper.

But even he agrees that many cops are just too **** trigger happy these days. Despite the inquiry that will occur, they shoot first and think later. And they are allowed to because there are no consequences for their actions other than a slap on the back for ridding the world of one more vicious 'pit bull."

And let's turn this around. Let's say I wanted to put a package on your doorstep and I open your closed gate and enter your yard. That's when I see your GSD charging me. So what do I do? I pull out my 9mm and shot him 10 times.

Be honest, what would happen to me? Arrested? Probably. Fined? Most likely. Sued by you? You betcha.

Or even worse. What if I'm home alone with my 2 boys and I see you shoot my dog in my own yard and continue approaching my home. So I open the door and shoot you. Then what? You honestly think MY theory of "afraid for my life" and personal defense are going to stand up? That's doubtful.

I'm very appreciative for our law enforcement guys who do things the right way. But being a police officer doesn't grant one superhuman powers and the right to not abide by the law themselves.

 

[TheGoldenRetriever]

Police officers have much in common with pit bull owners.

In both, the minority of bad apples gives the majority of responsible ones a bad name.

 

[Renee750il]

I know quite a few cops. I like some of them okay, even though they're dumbasses. I trust a few, respect a few . . . most I just want to maintain a good distance from and a few I'd be downright afraid to have anywhere in my vicinity.

Truthfully, knowing what I do, a random cop is the LAST person I'm calling on for help.

 

[Bahamutt99]

Police officers have much in common with pit bull owners.

In both, the minority of bad apples gives the majority of responsible ones a bad name.

I would accept that assessment, as long as the bad apples are plucked from the tree and thrown in the garbage. We kill the bad dogs. The bad cops should be fired.

 

[Miakoda]

I need to find the update article. It seems that the people who owned the dog were not even the people the cop was looking to serve papers to. And the dog was 10 months old.

 

[Squishy22]

I need to find the update article. It seems that the people who owned the dog were not even the people the cop was looking to serve papers to. And the dog was 10 months old.

OMG, the dog was still a puppy!! Makes me wonder if the cop was being truthful with his story.