Dog bites owners in a rampage, police use force to put it down

Youngstown police said they were obligated to use force to put down a pitbull that was attacking people at a neighborhood on De Sota Avenue.

The pitbull started acting aggressively after its owner and his girlfriend got in a heated argument, according to a police report. The dog could not be calmed down and officers were forced to tie leashes around its neck and hold it down until it passed away.

Youngstown police arrived on the scene at around midnight on Sunday, where the dog’s owner, whose name was redacted, was lying on the ground holding the dog. Both of his arms were bitten and injured.

The dog was continuing to attack people, so officers acquired two leashes from one of the owner’s neighbors and wrapped it around the dog’s neck in a tight hold, according to the report. Another officer attempted to tase the dog while it was secured but was unable to get a clear shot.

The officers reported that because they were unable to calm the down or tase it, one officer held the tight leashes around its neck until it died, according to the report.

EMTs arrived on scene to treat the dog’s owner and his girlfriend, who was also bitten in the arm. The owner’s girlfriend, whose name was also redacted, told police that during a heated verbal argument, she threw something across the room. This upset the dog and caused it to go on a rampage.

Both the owner and his girlfriend were transported to Mercy Health – St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital to have their wounds treated. Officers put an additional call in to have the pitbull’s body removed from the front yard.

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