An off-duty Marion County Sheriff Deputy shot an aggressive dog in Pleasantville on Monday.

On Monday at approximately 5:56 P.M. the Marion County Sheriff’s Office received a phone call from an off-duty Deputy stating that he and his fiancé were walking their dogs when two other dogs got loose from a residence and were trying to attack them and their dogs. This incident occurred in Pleasantville and the Pleasantville Police Department was called to conduct the investigation.

Based on a preliminary investigation the off-duty Deputy and his fiancé were walking their dogs on a leash on East Monroe St. As they were walking their dogs, he observed two dogs exiting the area of a residence that was just east of their location. Neither of these two dogs were chained up and were aggressive as they approached the off-duty Deputy, his fiancé and their dogs. The owner of the aggressive dogs attempted, unsuccessfully, to control her dogs.

The off-duty Deputy, his fiancé and their two dogs attempted to retreat several times, but the two aggressive dogs kept circling them in the middle of the roadway attempting to bite the other two dogs. The off-duty Deputy pulled his weapon from his waistband and advised the owner of the aggressive dogs to contain them, or he would be forced to shoot them. The owner of the aggressive dogs responded with “you may have to”. Fearing for their safety, the off-duty Deputy discharged his weapon, striking a Pitbull mix dog.

The preliminary investigation shows that after speaking with witnesses and the owners of the dogs that the two dogs ran off their property and attempted to attack the other two dogs that were on a leash and controlled by their owners. Regarding the use of a firearm, the owner had a legal right to be carrying his firearm and gave verbal commands to the owner of the aggressive dogs prior to discharging his firearm and was justified in doing so.

This case remains under investigation by Pleasantville PD.