CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A police officer shot and killed one of two aggressive dogs that injured a pedestrian and then attacked and mauled a Clearlake Animal Control officer on Tuesday morning.
The Clearlake Police Department said that at approximately 8:41 a.m. Tuesday officers were dispatched to Olympic Drive and Cottonwood Street on a report of aggressive dogs.
It was reported that a woman was walking on the sidewalk in front of 14380 Olympic Drive when two dogs described as pit bulls approached her in an aggressive manner, police said.
A citizen who was passing by observed what was happening, stopped and offered the woman a ride in his vehicle to escape from the impending attack, according to the report.
Police said a male pedestrian walking in the area was not as fortunate and was bitten by one of the dogs. The man suffered a minor injury but was able to leave the scene and received first aid.
A police officer arrived on scene and called for assistance from an Animal Control officer, who arrived on scene and began trying to secure the dogs.
While trying to get the animals under control, the Animal Control officer lost her footing and fell to the ground.
Police said the dogs began attacking the Animal Control officer, causing multiple punctures and lacerations.
The police officer at the scene fired a single shot from her service weapon at one of the dogs, fatally wounding it and stopping the attack. The other dog was contained.
Medical personnel were summoned to the scene and the Animal Control officer was transported to the hospital for treatment. The department’s report said the Animal Control officer was later released from the hospital.
The names of the Animal Control officer and police officer are not being released at this time, according to Clearlake Police Chief Andrew White.
Both dogs were removed from the scene and are currently in the custody of Animal Care and Control.
The owner of the dogs has been identified and the investigation is ongoing.
Chief White said the female police officer is not on administrative leave due to the shooting, which applies only if she had discharged her weapon at a person, per department policy.
The department’s policy also allows for destruction of an animal “in circumstances where the animal reasonably appears to pose an imminent threat to human safety and alternative methods are not reasonably available or would likely be ineffective.”
The Clearlake Police Department said it is thankful for the passerby who helped the woman from the original call escape from the impending attack.
Aggressive dogs maul Clearlake Animal Control officer; one dog shot and killed
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