Boise Ombudsman Clears Officer In Dog Shooting

An ombudsman has determined a Boise police officer acted reasonably to defend himself when shooting a pit bull terrier that charged him.

Boise Community Ombudsman Pierce Murphy released his findings Thursday regarding the April 9 incident.

Police say the officer was in a Boise neighborhood that day looking for a man who failed to make a court appearance. The officer was approaching a home in the neighborhood when the 70-pound pit bull ran toward him, prompting the officer to fire his weapon.

The wounded dog died the following day at the Idaho Humane Society.

Murphy found the officer wasn’t unreasonable in thinking he was about to be attacked and in taking the action he did to protect himself. Murphy reviewed the shooting at the request of two Boise residents.