A Kinston Police officer was injured in a chaotic disturbance scene when a dog bit him in the thigh while he was walking an arrested suspect to the patrol car -- and officials say the officer shot and killed the dog to avoid being bitten again.
Tuesday afternoon, Chief of Police Keith Goyette said the officer was sent to a home on Terminal Street after a call about a disturbance. The suspect was arrested, and several people at the scene started to argue with the officer.
During the chaos, Goyette said the dog escaped from a vehicle belonging to one of the people involved and lunged several times at the officer, biting him one time on the left thigh.
The officer sustained minor injuries to his leg.
Goyette called it, “A tragic incident for everyone involved.” The chief said his department is conducting a thorough investigation to ensure all protocols were followed.
He also said the Kinston Police Department extends its condolences to the dog's owner and acknowledges the emotional impact of such incidents.
