Park Forest, IL–(ENEWSPF)– It’s always a serious matter when an officer discharges a weapon. Police recently released a report detailing the events in early November when an officer was forced to shoot a dog which charged at him twice.
According to police, officers responded to a residence in the 200 block of Arrowhead Street on November 8 to investigate a report of a suspicious person, possibly a residential burglary in progress.
Detective Moore assisted Officer DeVries and Officer Elliot, along with K-9 Tobi with the track of the suspects from the residence. According to police, K-9 Tobi tracked through several yards across Allegheny and Apache Streets, into the backyard of a residence in the first block of Apache, a residence without a fence, according to police. While Officers DeVries and Elliot continued to search the backyard, Detective Moore observed that the side door of the residence was partially open, and a brown pit bull-mix dog ran out the door aggressively toward Detective Moore, according to police. The door closed behind the dog. The dog was barking and its hair was raised on its back as it ran toward Detective Moore, attempting to bite Detective Moore, according to police.
Detective Moore yelled, "Get your dog! Get your dog!"
Detective Moore put his left arm out as a shield and stepped to the side, causing the dog to run past him. According to police, the dog then turned around and attempted to lunge at Detective Moore. Detective Moore then pulled his service weapon and fired one round, striking the dog in the muzzle. According to police, the dog fell to the ground, then got up and ran around the residence to the front door. Detective Moore continued to yell for the people inside the house to get their dog. After approximately 30 seconds, according to police, a resident opened the front door and let the dog inside the house. According to police, the dog was not on a chain or leash at the time it was let out of the residence.
Detective Moore explained to the resident why the dog had been shot and noted that an unknown person inside the residence looked outside from the window and observed Detective Moore standing in the driveway. The resident stated that his 10-year-old son let the dog outside for an unknown reason.
The resident was issued citations charging no village tag for the dog and a violation of the ordinance requiring a leash or fence for dogs.
