ESCALATION

Michigan Deputy Kills Attacking Dog, and Then Its Angry Owner, Police Say

The deputy had been responding to a complaint about an animal on the loose when it turned into a fatal shooting.

A sheriff’s deputy in Hillsdale County, Michigan, responded to a complaint about a loose dog on Wednesday night and wound up killing the animal—and then its owner. Michigan State Police say the deputy, who has not yet been identified, was attacked by the dog as soon as he responded to the scene in Reading Township. In response, he fatally shot the animal, prompting the dog’s owner to grow angry and confront him with a knife, police say. The deputy then shot the dog’s owner as well, killing him. The deputy was treated at a local hospital for injuries from the dog attack, but it was not immediately clear how severe they were. The dog’s owner, identified as 32-year-old Oscar Herrera, was pronounced dead at the scene. The shooting is under investigation by state police, and the deputy has been placed on administrative leave.