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Apr 24, 2009 10:26 pm US/Eastern
Miami Officer Kills Pit Bull After Being Attacked
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Miami police officers were involved in a shooting Friday afternoon but the target of their gunfire wasn't an armed robber; it was a four-legged fiend with fangs.
According to Miami Police, as officers were checking out a report of possible animal neglect and abuse at a home located at 1153 NW 62nd Terrace, one of the officers was attacked by a pit bull dog.
A police release states officers entered what appeared to be an abandoned home after they spotted a pit bull through the window surrounded by fecal matter. The front door of the house was partially open and they didn't know if the caretaker of the dog was in danger.
CBS4 News has learned the property was in foreclosure, though the current occupant was not confirmed to be the owner of the home.
When they walked through the front door, a second pit bull grabbed one of the officer's pants leg. Officer Roberto Destephan, a three-year member of the force, fired his weapon at the attacking animal; the other officer fired his Tazer.
The dog was hit in the shoulder. He was taken to an animal hospital where he had to be put down.
A second dog, also removed from the home, was taken away by Miami-Dade Animal Control. It will be difficult for the dog to find a new home; it is illegal in Miami-Dade County to own or adopt a pit bull. However, there are pet rescue organizations that help dogs find homes in counties like Broward, where they are legal.
Police have not been able to locate the owners of the dogs. The house was empty at the time of the incident.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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