A dog was injured after a Texas police officer used his gun to shoot the animal following an attack. The incident unfolded on Monday night outside the Walmart in Seguin, Texas, at around 8 pm. Surveillance camera video of the attack has made the rounds on the internet ever since, reports My San Antonio .
According to police officials, the officer who later shot the dog was talking to three individuals who were soliciting money outside the store. The men had refused to leave the property. After the dispute, the police officer, who has not been identified, waited outside. Meanwhile, the dog — a pit bull — was tied to the backpack owned by one of the men and was standing there all the while. However, after one of the men, identified as Mykkil Payne, returned to the bag, the dog became detached. It immediately charged at the officer, who was taken aback by the aggressive dog.
At first, the officer tried to free himself from the dog by swinging his left arm. However, with the dog became a grave threat, he decided to use his gun and fired a shot at the dog. The dog was hit near the neck and was later taken to an emergency clinic. Luckily, doctors managed to save the life of the dog, which is reportedly out of danger and has already started walking.
Seguin police Sergeant James Springer explained:
“Officers are dog-lovers too, and certainly don’t want to have to do something like this. The officer feared for his safety as the dog charged at him in an aggressive manner.”
Meanwhile, the man who had returned to the back was arrested for criminal trespassing.
The dog is currently with the Seguin Animal Services and is healthy. Springer said:
“It’s always unfortunate when something like this happens. In this case, we have the video that gives a clear indication of what occurred. The officer had the wherewithal to fire his weapon toward the ground and away from any potential bystanders. There were no people in the line of fire.”
It is heartening to hear that the dog involved in this attack has survived the gunshot. Other dogs have not been as lucky , as we have read in the past.
[Image Via Ekathimerini]
