Elgin probe: pit bulls shooting was justified

An internal police investigation determined the two Elgin police officers who recently shot a pair of attacking pit bulls in the downtown were justified in doing so, said Deputy Police Chief Cecil Smith.

Smith made his comments after a Wednesday Elgin City Council meeting in which Elgin resident John Collins criticized the way police handled the incident - the meeting was the first held after the shooting.

On May 28 in front of more than 100 people, police shot the two pit bulls at about 4:44 p.m. near the fountain at Festival Park, 132 S. Grove Ave., after one bit a 9-year-old boy on the left hand and both animals charged at police.

The dogs were taken to the West Dundee Animal Hospital and euthanized. The boy sustained minor injuries to his hand.

But Collins says officers never should have shot the dogs, especially with so many people around.

"Did he have to use deadly force?" Collins asked council members. "If he'd have missed, then what?"

Smith said the investigation, completed Monday, showed the officers - one a canine officer and 13-year-veteran and the other a member of the force for eight years - initially tried to resolve the situation by giving the dogs water to distract them and attempting to secure nooses around their necks.

The dogs grew aggressive, however, and that's when the officers opened fire, Smith said, adding that the officers are excellent marksmen.

"It was a justifiable shooting," Smith said. "The review that we did indicated that this was the best resort."

Earlier this year, city council members considered a new law automatically classifying all pit bulls as dangerous dogs that Councilman John Prigge championed.

But the council begged off after pit bull owners pleaded with the city to "punish the deed, not the breed."

Two pit bull owners - Michele Bachi and Dawn Garcia - reiterated that stance at Wednesday's meeting.

"I just feel that people don't take care of their animals," Garcia said. "I don't think we should be penalized for people who don't take care of their animals."

Under a host of new animal control laws that went into effect last week, fines for a first offense are $50 to $750 for a dog at large or failure to obtain up-to-date rabies shots.

The dogs' owner, Sonia Torres, of the 100 block of South Porter Street, received four citations: two counts for having a dog at large and two counts for failure to obtain a rabies inoculation.

She is due in court June 15.

Meanwhile, the city has no plans to amend the law to target pit bulls.

"It's been an emotional issue and in my mind, it's over," said Prigge, adding that he does not have council support to revise the ordinance. "And I'll respond to it when one of my colleagues brings it up to a vote."