Dog Attacking Woman In Long Beach Fatally Shot By Police

LONG BEACH, CA — Long Beach police shot and killed a dog that was attacking a woman, authorities said Monday.

Officers were called at 11:30 p.m. Sunday to Carson Street and Norse Way where a 51-year-old woman was screaming for help, said Long Beach police Lt. John Kanaley. They found a woman on the sidewalk being attacked by a dog that appeared to be a pit bull and people trying to get the dog to stop, he said.

The woman, a resident of Nevada, had bites on her arms and legs and her clothing had partially been ripped from her body, police said.

While officers were developing a plan to rescue the woman, the dog became aggressive and started to advance toward them. An officer fired a rubber bullet at the dog in an attempt to drive it away, while a second offer shot the dog with this service weapon, striking it. The dog ran across the street, allowing paramedics to tend to the woman, police said.

Officers attempted to Taser the dog to gain control of it but that was ineffective. When the dog attempted to return to the area where the woman was being treated, officers were forced to shoot the dog a second time, police said. The dog was struck and died at the scene.

The woman was taken to a hospital for treatment non-life threatening injuries, police said.

The dog belonged to the woman who was attacked and she told police the dog had a history of violent behavior toward people.

— City News Service contributed to this report. Photo via Shutterstock