Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Dog Fatally Shot by Police After Attacking 9-Year-Old Girl, NYPD Says

By Kathleen Culliton | July 1, 2016 7:13pm

EAST HARLEM — A police officer fatally shot an escaped pit bull who attacked him, a nine-year-old girl and her mother on Friday, according to witnesses and police officials.

The dog broke free from its owner at around 5:45 p.m. outside 300 E. 115 St. at Second Avenue, a police spokeswoman said. 

The dog then lunged at a nine-year-old girl and her 30-year-old mother, also biting a bystander who tried to intervene and stop the animal, police said.

Two police officers who were in the area arrived at the scene, and one was bitten on the arm. He fired three shots, killing the dog, according to police.

Penelope, an employee at the Cherry Valley Market who declined to give her last name, told DNAinfo New York she heard people screaming on the street. 

"Everybody running, everybody cursing," said Penelope. "I see a pit bull on the floor. Police kill." 

The mother and daughter were both taken to Harlem Hospital with "major injuries" from dog bites, fire and police officials said. 

The police officer was also treated for a minor arm laceration at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, police said. 

The owner of the dog was not immediately charged in the incident.