A Chicago police officer shot a dog who allegedly broke loose from their owner’s leash and charged toward them aggressively. Unfortunately, another officer was accidentally grazed in the leg by bullet debris during the shooting.
Police officer shoots dog in South Side Chicago neighborhood, debris injures another officer on scene
According to FOX32 Chicago, the shooting occurred on Sunday. Mar. 3 at around 11:48 a.m. At the time, Chicago Police Department (CPD) officers were carrying out an investigation in Roseland, a neighborhood in South Side Chicago. It’s reported that a leashed dog walking with their owner on a sidewalk got off their leash and ran toward the officers.
Alarmed by the dog’s alleged display of aggressive behavior, one officer pulled out their firearm and shot the canine. At the moment, there are no confirmed reports of the dog’s current condition. Authorities haven’t revealed whether the canine succumbed to the gunshot wound or if they’re undergoing treatment.
The officer who sustained a leg injury from the bullet debris was rushed to hospital. Fortunately, they are in stable condition. Authorities issued the dog’s owner a citation for their unleashed canine.
This unfortunate incident sheds light on the prevalence of pet shootings by law enforcement. Recent statistics on dog deaths caused by police officers in the United States revealed that officers shoot nearly 10,000 dogs every year while in their line of duty.
While police officers mostly use their weapons in self-defense, most dogs are shot in questionable circumstances. The harsh reality is that a majority of the dogs killed by police are seemingly misjudged as aggressive. More often than not, dogs tend to act on their natural protective instincts during stressful situations, which can include encounters with law enforcement.
Police killing of innocent dogs has become an epidemic in the U.S., given the increasing cases of officers using lethal force on non-aggressive canines.
