May 14, 2024
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Three pit bulls attacked a woman Tuesday morning in the Kingsessing neighborhood of Southwest Philly. An off-duty police shot one of the dogs, killing it, police say.
An off-duty police officer shot and killed a pit bull Tuesday morning as that dog and two others attacked a woman in Southwest Philadelphia, authorities said.
The attack happened around 10:40 a.m. on the 1500 block of South 58th Street in Kingsessing. The officer was in his personal car when he saw three dogs attacking the 52-year-old. The owner of the dogs, a 21-year-old man, was attempting to get the animals to stop biting the woman, police said.
The police officer fired multiple shots, striking one of the dogs and ending the attack, authorities said.
The woman suffered bites to her leg, arm and head. She was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to be treated for her injuries.
The pit bull that was shot was later found dead in the backyard of its owner, who did get control of a second dog but lost the third. The third dog had not been located as of Tuesday afternoon. The dog that was killed was picked up by Philadelphia Animal Care & Control.
Police are investigating the circumstances leading to the attack. The officer, who was not identified, is a two-year veteran of the department assigned to the 17th District in South Philly. He has been placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of internal affairs and officer-involved shooting investigations.
This was the second time this month that a Philly police officer fatally shot a dog that had been 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 called to the scene first tried to scare off the dogs using his cruiser's siren. Video of that attack shows the officer then fired four shots at the dogs before the attack ended. The cane corso died, and that officer also was placed on administrative duty while the department investigates.
The man who was attacked was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center to be treated for his injuries.
