From RCIPS

Around 5PM on Saturday, 29 July, armed officers were in the Boatswain Bay area of West Bay making checks to locate a man wanted on a court-issued warrant.

While one of the officers was leaving the man’s residence, three unleashed dogs, all pit bulls, ran aggressively toward him.  The officer called to a man in a nearby yard whom he believed to be the dog’s owner, telling him to call off the dogs. The man did not respond in any way.  One of the pit bulls jumped on the officer’s leg, and the other two continued toward him.  The officer continued to yell for the dogs to be called off, and when it was clear that they were under no one’s control, he discharged his official firearm, injuring one of the dogs in the leg.  All three dogs then dispersed.

Officers thereafter attempted to determine the injured dog’s official owner.  They did make contact with a person related to a man believed to be the owner, who advised that the injury did not appear life threatening to the dog. Officers recommended that the dog be taken to the vet and provided the family with contact information for their unit commander.

The incident is under investigation in line with police procedures after a firearm discharge, with a file to be produced to the ODPP for review.  The incident is also being investigated for breaches of the Animal Law, specifically Section 44 (2015 Revision), having a dog dangerously out of control.