Deputy Shoots Dog Attacking Partner, Bullet Passes Through Dog And Hits Partner

West Palm Beach, FL – A Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy was shot on Monday when a pit bull charged at deputies entering a home and a fellow law enforcement officer shot the dog.

The incident occurred at about 12:45 p.m. on Oct. 3 when sheriff’s detectives were called to assist the West Palm Beach Police Department with a search warrant at a home in the 5400-block of Eadie Place, WPBF reported.

Authorities said that when detectives entered to clear the home, a pit bull charged them.

The dog attacked one deputy and another deputy shot it as it continued to try to maul its victim, WPBF reported.

The deputy struck his intended target, but unfortunately, the bullet went through the pit bull and hit the deputy the dog had been attacking, too.

The wounded deputy was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of both his gunshot wound and dog bites, WPBF reported.

He is expected to make a full recovery.

The pit bull’s owner told WPEC that the dog was only doing what it had been trained to do and protect the household.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) has launched an investigation into the deputy-involved shooting.

A similar incident occurred in Knox County, Tennessee in July.

Officials released bodycam video that showed the accidental shooting of one Knox County sheriff’s deputy by another when he was trying to shoot the pit bull who was attacking his partner.

That incident occurred at about 11 p.m. on July 4 when deputies responded to a call in the 8200-block of Brickyard Road in Powell, WBIR reported.

Deputies were trying to arrest a woman who was wanted on identity theft and forgery charges, WATE reported.

The suspect was later found hiding inside the home and arrested.

The sheriff’s department said that when deputies were walking around the outside of the trailer home, a large pit bull charged at rookie Knox County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) Deputy Lydia Driver and bit her on the leg.

“It got me! It got me,” Deputy Driver shrieked in the bodycam video. “Oh my God. Oh my God!”

The video showed the pit bull knocked Deputy Driver to the ground and then the dog pounced on top of her.

Her partner, KCSO Deputy Jordan Hurst, drew his weapon and tried to shoot the pit bull, WBIR reported.

“Watch out!” Deputy Hurst called out in the video and the fired two shots at the dog that was actively attacking Deputy Driver.

The dog fled at the sound of gunfire, the video showed.

“Are you okay?” Deputy Hurst asked.

“No! You shot me!” Deputy Driver replied in the video.

“Oh God!” Deputy Hurst yelled. “Are you okay?”

“No, I’m hit,” she screamed back at him in the video.

The video showed officers at the scene applied a tourniquet to Deputy Driver’s leg.

The wounded deputy was transported to University of Tennessee Medical Center and immediately taken into surgery, WBIR reported.

KCSO placed Deputy Hurst on paid administrative leave while the incident was investigated, as is protocol for all officer-involved shootings, WBIR reported.

The pit bull that attacked Deputy Driver was taken into custody by animal control.