Hollister
– An internal investigation by the Hollister Police Department
is ongoing in the accidental shooting of a San Benito County woman
last month by a police officer aiming at a charging pit bull.
Hollister – An internal investigation by the Hollister Police Department is ongoing in the accidental shooting of a San Benito County woman last month by a police officer aiming at a charging pit bull.
The Hollister Police Department has been conducting an internal investigation into the incident to determine if criminal charges should be filed against the officer, Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller said.
The officer, whom police refused to identify, fired a single shot at the dog in front of a residence in the 1300 block of Sunnyslope Road in unincorporated San Benito County on the morning of Sept. 1. The bullet missed, fragmented after ricocheting off the ground and hit the woman in the lower leg, San Benito County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Tom Keylon said.
Miller believes the investigation will show the officer acted appropriately.
“This is one of those cases where the officer perceived an imminent threat to his safety,” Miller said. “The officer acted within policy.”
The woman was taken to Hazel Hawkins Hospital for treatment and released several hours later, Keylon said. Miller said the officer made the decision in a split second and that “it was very unfortunate that the woman was injured.” The officer was placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation, Miller said.
Although the investigation is not yet complete, the officer has returned to active duty, Miller said.
“It is not a disciplinary action,” Miller said. “It’s to allow the officer to decompress. It’s a scary situation.”
The officer had been called to the scene by a woman who was at the Sunnyslope Road residence to serve civil papers on an unidentified man, Hollister Police Capt. Bob Brooks said. An argument between the man and the process server ensued.
The police officer was moving toward the two people to calm them down when an adult male pit bull charged out of the house toward the officer, Brooks said. The officer then fired a single round at the dog, Brooks said. The bullet missed and split into fragments, several of which hit the woman in the leg.
Miller said the Hollister Police Department’s internal investigation should be completed by the end of next week.
Brooks said the dog was impounded after the shooting. The pit bull was released via the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office to the owner, Laura Tijerina, three days after the incident, Keylon said.
Michael Van Cassell cover public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or [email protected].
