Shots Fired After Pit Bulls Attack, Kill Poodle

TAMPA, FL — The Tampa Police Department is investigating a Monday morning incident that led to the deaths of two dogs and the serious injury of a third.

According to police, Keithroy George was talking his poodle, Simba, out for a walk just before 6 a.m. Feb. 27 when two pit bulls escaped a nearby home. The dogs ran up to George began attacking Simba, the agency said.

“By the time TPD arrived, the poodle had been mauled to death,” the police department wrote in an email to media. “The pit bulls turned on the police officer, and the officer fired several shots at the attacking dogs, killing one and seriously injuring the other.”

A pit bull named White Boy was killed. A pit bull named Tito, who recently had a litter of puppies, was seriously injured, the agency said.

The officer was not injured. Police say George, who lives in the 4000 block of 37th Street, was also uninjured.

The use of deadly force is being investigated by the police department. Other aspects of the case are under investigation by Hillsborough County Animal Control, the police department said.

It is unclear if White Boy is the same pit bull Tampa Police rescued in 2014 after a tumble into the Hillsborough River. In that case, a pit bull fell into the water and spent a night paddling until its plight was discovered. The dog in that case, however, wasn’t alone for the entire evening. A manatee kept it company, according to the police department.

A request for clarification on the identity of the dog shot and killed was not immediately responded to Monday morning. Police have not identified the owner of the two pit bulls.

• See also: Manatee Comforts Pooch Stranded In River

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