Dog Shot As Police Searched For Home Invasion Suspect: New Haven PD

NEW HAVEN, CT — As police searched for a home invasion suspect Thursday, a man released a "large pitbull" on officers, which led one of them to shoot the dog, police said.

At 12:05 a.m. police responded to a report of a domestic dispute. The victim said that a person known to them came to their home and the two began to argue at the door, police said.

After the victim ended the argument and closed the door, the accused entered the apartment by pushing in an air conditioner and began threatening the victim with a kitchen knife, police said. He then fled the scene.

Officers found the man's car in front of his home on Winchester Avenue, police said. Police tried to speak with a male resident of the apartment in order to locate the suspect, but the man slammed the door on officers, police said.

A short time later, the same man yelled that he was going to release his dog on officers, police said.

"A large pitbull was then let loose from the apartment which was shot and wounded after it aggressively ran at one of the officers, who fired at it twice," police said. "The dog sustained a minor graze and remained with the owner."

The suspect wasn't found at the home but later turned himself into police and is charged with home invasion, second-degree threatening, second-degree breach of peace and risk of injury to a minor.