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Police: Officer kills dog that attacked deputy

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TBO.com

Published: November 3, 2009

TAMPA - A Tampa police officer fatally shot a pit bull mix this morning after it attacked a Hillsborough County deputy and started to charge the officer, police say.

Officer Steve Letteri, 47, was in the 2600 block of North Armenia Avenue shortly after 8 a.m. responding to a 911 call about aggressive dogs. The caller said the dogs had chased children and attacked a man.

Letteri, a 21-year veteran, saw two dogs on a porch and stayed in his car so he wouldn't be attacked.

Soon after, Deputy Jack Brock arrived to serve an eviction notice to a renter at 2605 N. Armenia Ave., police say. Brock parked and walked toward Letteri's car. The two dogs charged toward Brock and one of them bit his right leg.

Brock tried to climb a fence to get away but the dog wouldn't let go. Letteri shot the dog, which then charged his vehicle. The officer fired again, killing the dog.

The second dog, also a pit bull mix, was taken by Hillsborough County Animal Services.

Brock, a 19-year veteran, was treated at the scene and later transported to University Community Hospital. His condition wasn't available.

Darren Pickney was heading to work along Armenia when the two dogs came running across the street.

"I looked and the dogs were grabbing me," said Pickney, 45. "He's pulling on my pants leg and I'm pulling up on the hood of a car."

Workers from a nearby business came out with sticks and got the dog loose. Pickney said he was left with scratches and a sore back.

"I love dogs," he said. "But pit bulls I hate with a passion – and for them to be free like that and chasing people and nobody around."

Police are searching for the dogs' owner, who apparently had abandoned the animals.

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