The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Special Investigative Response Team is investigating after a PGPD patrol officer discharged her duty weapon in order to stop two dogs that were charging at her outside of a home in Suitland on Tuesday night. The officer struck and injured one of the dogs. The second dog was seized by Prince George’s County Animal Control. On November 19th, at approximately 8:35 pm, two PGPD patrol officers responded to the 6000 block of Cable Avenue at the request of Prince George’s County Animal Control. Animal control employees were there in order to remove two dogs from a home. At least one of those dogs was recently caught on camera attacking and killing a neighbor’s cat. The preliminary investigation into last night’s incident reveals that as the animal control employees were talking to the dogs’ owner, the two dogs in question ran out of the home. The dogs aggressively ran toward one PGPD patrol officer and began aggressively jumping on him. Both patrol officers immediately began yelling for the owner to get her dogs under control. At that moment, the dogs turned their attention and charged at the second PGPD officer. In fear for her safety, that officer discharged her duty weapon two times, striking and injuring one dog. The wounded dog was taken to a local vet and was in stable condition. The second dog was not injured and was seized by animal control.
As is our standard operating procedure, the officer who discharged her duty weapon was placed on administrative leave pending standard, post-shooting requirements. Our Special Investigative Response Team will handle the investigation into the discharge of the officer’s duty weapon. Anyone with additional information about this case is asked to call the Special Investigative Response Team at (301) 856-2660.
Prince George’s County Animal Control is handling the investigation into the dogs and the circumstances surrounding the incident. The Animal Services Division can be contacted at (301) 780-7200.