Dog attacks San Diego officer who shoots in return; investigation underway

A San Diego police officer shot a dog in the leg after it became aggressive and bit the officer's leg twice.

The incident took place as SDPD officers were responding to complaints of transients creating nuisance in the area near Balboa Park Monday evening around 6:15 p.m., San Diego Police said.

A spokesperson of the San Diego Police told USA TODAY that officers were speaking to two people, a man and a woman, with an unleashed dog, when the dog became agitated and attacked the officer.

The dog, a pitbull, bit the officer twice, prompting the officer to fire two rounds from his service pistol to get the dog off of him, the spokesperson said. The dog, who received a bullet in the leg, ran away. It was found a short time later and transported a veterinary hospital, police said, adding the San Diego Humane Society was also present on scene to assist with the incident.

The dog will later be taken into custody as part of the investigation and will also be assessed for diseases, the spokesperson said.

Officer received wounds on lower leg

The officer, meanwhile, was also transported to a local hospital with wounds on his lower leg.

"He's shaken up from the incident," the spokesperson said, adding that the extent of the officer's injuries were still being assessed.

San Diego Police's Lt. Christian Sharp defended his colleague's actions, telling NBC 7 San Diego: "There is no time for less lethal. This officer is getting chopped down by the dog."

"I mean, he could get significant ligament damage, if not, muscle damage and what not," he added.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing and the two people with the unleashed dog were detained, according to the spokesperson. ABC 10 News reported the police will charge the duo if it is determined they instigated the dog to attack.

No charges have been pressed so far against anyone, the SDPD spokesperson said.

Fatal dog attacks on the rise:Fatal dog attacks are rising – and are hard to predict. But some common themes emerge.

Dog attacks in the US on the rise

In recent years, more and more dogs have bitten, mauled and killed people in America. In the past decade, the number of fatal dog attacks more than doubled, from an average of roughly 40 a year to nearly 100 after the pandemic hit, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, pet owners, lawmakers and animal experts remain divided on how to deal with the issue.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.