FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — A man shot and injured a dog after deputies said it charged at him and his wife in Indian River Estates Sunday.
The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting, which happened in the 5900 block of Palm Drive.
According to investigators, a woman had just arrived home and pulled into her driveway when two dogs approached her vehicle and prevented her from safely getting out.
Fearing for her safety, she called her husband for help.
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The man went outside and saw the dogs before returning inside to retrieve a handgun, deputies said. When he came back outside, one of the dogs charged at him aggressively.
Before the dog could bite him, the man fired his handgun, striking one of the dogs, according to the sheriff’s office.
Both dogs then ran to a nearby residence on Myrtle Drive, where they live.
The owner took the injured dog to an emergency animal hospital for treatment. Its condition was not immediately available.
Investigators are reviewing surveillance video, interviewing independent witnesses, and gathering additional evidence as they work to determine exactly what happened.
The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains active and no further conclusions will be made until all available evidence has been reviewed.