Officials say they don’t yet know if the dog was being walked without a leash or had escaped its yard.
PLEASANTON, Texas — Pleasanton police say a loose dog attacked a mother and her daughter Monday afternoon, prompting responding officers to shoot and kill it.
A man intervened but was attacked as well, Pleasanton Police Asst. Chief Anastacio Perez said, adding at one point his foot was inside the animal’s mouth. Neighbors tell KENS 5 he is the dog’s owner.
“Our officers immediately took action and fired one shot when it was safe to do so to prevent any further injury to the male,” Perez said, adding officers arrived to a bloody scene at West White and South Smith at around 4:30 p.m. “When the dog was shot, it let go of the male and began running towards other people.”
At that point, Perez said, police tried to subdue the dog with “less lethal measures.” When those were unsuccessful, they again fired their weapons and “safely prevented further attack.”
The man was taken to University Hospital, as were the two other victims for “minor” dog bite injuries. Officials said the man was believed to have suffered the worst injuries of the three victims.
Perez said detectives are still investigating the incident and will determine if the owner will face charges. It’s unclear at this point if the dog had escaped an enclosure or was being walked without a leash.
The ages of the victims are unknown.
This is a developing story.