NJ cop shoots at pit bull after dog attacks officers, police say

LITTLE EGG HARBOR — Police fired at a pit bull that had attacked officers responding to a “disturbance” at a home in the Mystic Island section on Sunday, authorities say.

The residence is "well known" to police and several officers responded to the incident,  Little Egg Harbor Township police said in a Facebook post. A pit bull ran out of the house and attacked one of the officers before letting go and attempting to attack a second officer, who fired his weapon at the dog, police said.

The dog was not injured and was taken to Ocean County Animal Shelter, police said.

The first officer who was attacked was treated at Southern Ocean Medical Center with a puncture wound and released, police said.

It was not clear from the information posted by Little Egg Harbor police if the dog was released intentionally. The post by police also didn't disclose the location of the "disturbance," say how the residence was previously known by police, or discuss any action by any people who may have been involved. It doesn't elaborate on the nature of the disturbance or say if anyone has been charged.

An email and call to Little Egg Harbor police by New Jersey 101.5 seeking more information has not yet been returned.

In a separate incident late last month, a police officer in Vernon township responding to a report of an aggressive dog loose in a neighborhood shot the lab mix when he encountered it and it approached him. Police have described the dog as charging toward the officer, though owners say he didn't need to shoot it and said they've spoken to an attorney about their options.

Police released body camera footage from that incident late last month.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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