Officer fires weapon

Posted: Monday, May 2, 2011 1:43 pm

The Messenger, May 2, 2011
A Union City police officer discharged his weapon over the weekend when a dog was charging at him.
The officer was responding to a call Friday of a large black dog running at large on West College Street. He was informed the owner, Ernest James O’Brien, lived at 502 North First St. and while the officer was walking towards the home to see the owner, the dog ran out the back door charging at the officer.
The officer unholstered his weapon and fired one round into the ground in front of himself to scare the dog. The officer stated in the report he was unable to shoot the dog because he did not have a clear shot since the house was in his line of fire. The dog ran from the area.
The back door was open and the responding officer, when joined by another officer, entered the home after announcing themselves. The owner was not inside, but showed up after the officers exited the house.
The complainant said the dog is loose on a regular basis and has bitten two of his children. He said he did not call before because did not want any trouble with anyone.
O’Brien was charged with harboring a vicious animal and violation of the leash law.