Published: May 05, 2008 09:34 pm            

Officer makes quick save

Dog turns on neighbor and had to be euthanized.

Apparently, the pit bull terrier didn’t want to go back to jail.

In an instant, the seemingly docile dog Steve Shallenberger had been petting turned on him, sinking its fangs deep into his hand.

KPD Officer Rich Benzinger had to react quickly, but how? As Shallenberger and the dog wrestled each other, with the large Shallenberger falling to the ground, Benzinger couldn’t shoot the dog.

“I couldn’t get a shot in without hitting [Shallenberger],” Benzinger said Monday. “Finally the two of them both tried to pull each other the opposite way, and they were able to create enough space.”

With the dog still latched onto the wounded, frightened Kokomo electrician, Benzinger finally squeezed off a round. His bullet found its mark, and the dog let go, falling severely wounded near the intersection of Market and Harrison streets.

“Having to shoot a dog with [Shallenberger] that close by; it’s a decision I’d just as soon not have to perform again,” Benzinger said.

“It’s just a shame. Steve comes out to help get the neighbor’s dog that’s loose, manages to get control of the dog, and it turned on him in the matter of a split second.”

Speaking from a post-surgery hospital bed in Indianapolis Monday, Shallenberger said he was grateful the dog didn’t do more damage.

He suffered a torn tendon in his hand, multiple bite marks and an exposed compound fracture of a finger, and will have to take intravenous antibiotics for two weeks due to the danger of infection from the bites.

But Shallenberger said he also realizes it could have been one of his children attacked by the dog.

“I really want to thank the officer for his quick reaction,” Shallenberger said.

Benzinger said he was just happy to help.

The call just after 7 a.m. Saturday from one of Shallenberger’s neighbors, who said he’d been chased into his home by the dog, the 13-year KPD veteran said.

When he rolled up, Shallenberger, who’d been taking his own dog for a walk before work, was petting the pit bull.

“I just thought he saw me with my dog, and wanted some attention as well,” Shallenberger said.

Like Shallenberger, Benzinger said he also thought the dog was docile at first.

But then he opened the back door of the squad car to take the dog away, and mayhem ensued.

The pit bull’s owner, Michael Conner, 35, 700 block of South Market Street, got to the scene after Benzinger had shot the animal.

At first, Conner agreed that if the dog had gone after someone, it needed to be put down, Benzinger said. But when police wanted to wait for the Humane Society to arrive before making that decision, Conner became agitated.

“Mr. Conner didn’t find that acceptable, and at that point, he started to dance and yell around Market Street,” Benzinger said.

Conner was arrested on three misdemeanor charges: harboring a non-immunized animal, public intoxication and disorderly conduct.

“He said he’d been drinking the night before,” Benzinger said.

Benzinger said it appears Conner simply let the dog run out the front door to use the bathroom before the incident occurred.

Now Shallenberger, who said he’d been hired on to do some electrical work at the Getrag plant in Tipton, probably won’t be working anytime soon.

And officers did finally put the wounded pit bull down, shortly after the Humane Society arrived. Benzinger said he and his supervisor were unsure if the dog could be saved, or might be needed alive to be tested for infectious disease, so they decided to wait for a verdict.

“It’s the first time in 13 years I’ve ever had to deal with something like this,” Benzinger said.

He added he hopes it’s also the last.

        

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