Elgin police shoot six 'aggressive' pit bulls

Elgin police officers had to shoot six aggressive pit bulls while executing a search warrant inside a Liberty Street home, authorities said Saturday.

Officers found a total of 21 pit bulls inside the residence Friday night along with more than 50 marijuana plants and materials used to grow the plants indoors, Deputy Chief Jeff Swoboda said.

Alejandro Campos-Rivera, 37, of 210 Liberty St., was charged with one felony count of animal cruelty and one felony count of marijuana production as a result of the search. On Saturday, a Kane County judge ordered Campos-Rivera held on a $750,000 bond.

Swoboda said police brought animal control officers along for the search because they suspected some pit bulls would be in the residence.

"We hoped that we could noose the dogs, if necessary, and remove them," Swoboda said. "But the dogs were just too aggressive."

Raw meat was on the floor of the home, and some of the dogs had gotten free of their cages and started attacking each other, Swoboda said.

No officers were injured during the incident.

"It seemed like the dogs were being trained to exhibit this kind of behavior," he said.

Campos-Rivera's next court date is March 5.