An off-duty police officer shot and killed a pit bull Tuesday morning after the dog and two others attacked a woman in Southwest Philadelphia, authorities said.
The incident happened around 10:40 a.m. on the 1500 block of South 58th Street in Kingsessing.
The officer, who was in his personal car at the time, saw three dogs attacking a 52-year-old woman.
The owner of the dogs, a 21-year-old man, was trying to stop the animals from biting the woman, according to police.
The police officer fired several shots, hitting one of the dogs and stopping the attack, officials said.
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The woman suffered bites to her leg, arm, and head. She was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to receive treatment for her injuries.
For the 2nd time in two weeks a @PhillyPolice officer shot & killed a dog that was among a group of dogs attacking someone. This morning the officer, while off duty in his personal vehicle,saw woman being attacked. He fired his service gun multiple times. pic.twitter.com/EcuO6AShko
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) May 14, 2024
The pit bull that was shot was later found dead in its owner’s backyard. The owner managed to control a second dog but lost the third. As of Tuesday afternoon, the third dog had not been found. The dead dog was picked up by Philadelphia Animal Care & Control.
Police are looking into the circumstances that led to the attack. The officer, whose identity was not revealed, has been with the department for two years and is assigned to the 17th District in South Philly. He has been put on administrative duty while internal affairs and officer-involved shooting investigations are conducted.
This was the second time this month that a Philadelphia police officer fatally shot a dog that was attacking a person.
On May 1, a 53-year-old man was attacked by three pit bulls and a cane corso near Fairmount Avenue and Union Street in Mantua. A patrol officer tried to scare off the dogs with his cruiser’s siren but ended up firing four shots at them. The cane corso died, and that officer was also put on administrative duty while the department investigates.
The man who was attacked was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center for treatment.