An Elizabeth police officer was justified in shooting a pit bull that had gotten out of its pen in May, according to an outside investigation.
The investigation was conducted by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Meanwhile, the owner of the pit bull named Bambam faces several charges of violations of local animal ordinances, Elizabeth Police Chief Michael Phibbs said in a written statement.
Phibbs declined further comment.
After the dog lunged at an unnamed Elizabeth police officer, the officer shot Bambam seven times; an Elbert County Sheriff’s deputy shot the dog twice to put him out of his misery because it was suffering.
The owner of the dog, Randee Hert, was not home at the time of the shooting. But she previously said she was not sure how Bambam got out of his chain-link kennel, which is 12 feet by 12 feet and has a 5-foot-high fence.
Carlos Illescas: 303-954-1175 or cillescas@denverpost.com
