California cop shoots dog; investigation underway after bodycam footage released

KERN COUNTY, Calif. - Police in California City are investigating after an officer was seen on bodycam footage shooting a dog.

On Monday, March 11, just before 2 p.m., an officer with the California City Police Department was dispatched to a home on Adler Dr. for a welfare check of a juvenile in addition to a possible domestic disturbance. 

Once officers arrived, the first officer started walking towards the driveway… that's when the dog started to approach the officer. 

The large white dog, believed to be a Dogo Argentino, had been sitting next to a tree in the front yard. The dog had been tied to the tree, but the chain broke as the dog charged at the officer, the department said in a statement. 

According to the police department, the officer started to walk back to create distance, but the dog continued and caught up with the officer. 

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"Fearing for his own personal safety, the officer fired one round from his duty pistol, which struck the dog causing it to retreat back to the yard," the police department said.

Officers then contacted the owner who they say declined three times for his dog to be treated or transported to a veterinarian. The owner then demanded the officers get off his property.  

The current condition of the dog is not known. 

"CCPD is posting this video to be as transparent as possible and to show facts about the incident and how it occurred. An investigation into the use of force is being conducted to determine whether the action of the officer was in compliance with law and department policy," they wrote online.

California City is located in Kern County, about 100 miles north of Los Angeles.