Officer kills dog to protect child

INDIANPOLIS (WISH) - Man’s best friend became man's worst enemy Friday morning.

An officer with IMPD had to use deadly force after complaints of two pit bulls chasing children on the city's south side.

Cristhian Rivera said he was walking to the bus stop when the two dogs started chasing him.

According to a police report, an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer responding to an earlier report of aggressive dogs in in the 700 block of South Bancroft Street found a child running in the street, trying to get away from the dogs. At that point, the officer tried to use his car to stop the dogs and protect the child.

When that didn't work the officer pulled out his gun and shot one of the dogs. Neighbors said the dog was later found dead in a yard.

Neighbors said before Friday they'd never seen the animals aggressive.

Angie Koser, who took issue with the officer using deadly force, believes the dogs escaped the fenced area of their owner’s home by digging a hole to the neighboring yard. Once in the neighbor’s yard, the dogs jumped the smaller fence.

The second dog involved Friday was taken into custody, and the dog’s owner received multiple citations, including having an aggressive animal at large and failure to have proof of a rabies vaccination.