An Oceanside Police officer shot and killed a dog Monday and the dog's owner was arrested.
Residents at a home on Morse Street near Alvarado called police at 2:30 a.m. when they found a strange man sitting in front of their home with his dog.
When officers responded and exited their vehicle, they say the dog tried to charge at them. They asked the man to control his dog and put it on a leash, but the man told them the animal was just protecting him, according to a news release from the Oceanside Police Department.
Once again, the dog started to charge at them and an officer tried to use a taser on the dog but missed.
Officers then told the man to come toward them in the street in an effort to avoid being bitten by the dog, but the man did not.
When the dog charged a third time, one officer shot the dog, killing the animal. Officials told NBC 7 the officer feared for his safety.
The dog’s owner, Armando Castillo, 26, a known gang member, was arrested on suspicion of obstructing a police officer and being under the influence of a controlled substance. He was taken to the Vista Detention Facility.
