According to Altus Police Chief Mike Patterson, Animal Control Officer Barry Hill was first on the scene at Ridgecrest and Jupiter where the dog was roaming. When Hill stepped out of his vehicle he was immediately charged by the dog, an animal Patterson described as being in "attack mode."
Hill requested backup and contained the animal in a nearby fenced yard without a gate. He then stood in front of the gateway and contained the animal with his presence, Patterson said. Animal Control Supervisor Steve Ross soon arrived, and the officers attempted unsuccessfully to snare the animal with a catch pole.
"They weren't able to catch the dog with the catch pole because if an animal has ever been caught before, they are weary of the poles," Patterson explained.
Pepper spray was also used, but it only deterred the animal momentarily.
Ross made the decision to execute the animal, but Hill actually fired a single shot with a 12-gauge shotgun.
Patterson said he shuddered to think how the outcome would have changed had someone other than the trained officials encountered the dog.
"These are people trained to deal with extremely aggressive large animals," Patterson said. "What would happen if it would have been a 65-year-old woman or a kid at the Sno-cone stand?"
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