On November 25, 2014 at approximately 6:25 p.m., Los Banos Police Officers responded to the 1100 block of Pinot Noir Street for reports of a German Shepherd running lose.
The officer began speaking with a man who reported the stray dog to police and learned the dog had been running loose in the neighborhood for about a week’s time.
The officer took hold of the dog’s collar to lead the dog to his patrol vehicle. The dog’s behavior changed; the animal became aggressive and bit the officer’s hand. The dog aggressively charged the officer a second time, and the officer fired two shots, ultimately killing the dog.
A witness told police supervisors that the dog attacked the officer, and the officer had no choice but to shoot the animal.
“This is the last thing that the officer expected when responding to this call. Although, our officers are trained in handing aggressive animals, sometimes animals can be unpredictable. The officer himself is a pet owner and was deeply saddened by the incident.”
- Jason Hedden, Police Commander
The officer was transported to Los Banos Memorial Hospital where he was treated for his injuries. The officer suffered puncture wounds on two fingers on his right hand.
We are attempting to track down the owner of this dog. Anyone with information about the owner is encouraged to contact Sergeant Jesse Ceja at (209) 827-7070, extension 147.
“The Department is following our animal control procedures and shooting policy in the investigation of this incident. The investigation will include an inquiry into the officer’s actions to determine if the shooting was within policy and identify any possible training needs.”
- Jason Hedden, Police Commander
