Massachusetts cop kills family dog after responding to 911 call

A Massachusetts police officer shot and killed a family’s dog, which attacked him while he responded to an accidental 911 call made by a child at the residence, police said.

The cop went to the home on Concord Road in Wayland about 11:20 a.m. Monday to investigate the hang-up emergency call, Acting Police Chief Ed Burman told WCVB.

As he spoke to the homeowner, the dog ran out of the house and attacked the officer, biting him multiple times, Burman said, adding that the animal continued to pursue the officer as he tried to retreat to his car.

The officer then shot the dog and killed him.

The family told WCVB that their pet was a 1-year-old pit bull-Labrador retriever mix named Blaze, who weighed 61 pounds.

“The cop was running all over the yard, so he jumped up and grabbed him by the arm, and let go,” a man who owned the dog told the station. “I was coming out the door and the next thing you know, I heard ‘Boom! Boom! Boom!”  

An ambulance transported the officer to a hospital.

“This is a very difficult and unfortunate situation,” the chief said in a statement.

“The safety of our officers and community members is of the utmost importance, and anytime an officer has to use force, we take it very seriously. We will investigate this incident to ensure we have the fullest possible understanding of what occurred,” he added.

According to a preliminary investigation, Burman added, the dog was previously the subject of complaints about aggressive behavior.

A woman who owned Blaze acknowledged that the dog had bitten two people before and said the family was working with a veterinarian about his aggressive behavior.

“The vet was working with us very closely and she said he probably had some anxiety,” she told WCVB. He’s always been really, really good around my children and grandchildren.

“She really was hopeful that these things would work and we were taking the steps necessary,” the woman added.