A Florida deputy shot her own finger when she fatally shot a pit bull who had attacked a homeless man in Pasco County over the weekend.
It began when a witness heard loud barking coming from the woods next to his trailer, Saturday. He then saw the homeless man bleeding from his arm.
“He was messed up on the arm, right there around the muscle and on the forearm,” Jim Ames said.
When deputies arrived, the pit bull was off its leash, and it lunged at the officer.
“I saw the dog come out and attack the Pasco County Sheriff’s officer, a female,” Ames said, “and she was backing up to get away from the dog and she fell down.”
The dog began biting the deputy, and the officers fired a warning shot.
The canine then sank its teeth into her leg.
“They fired the warning shot, and then they fired what now turns out to be the fatal shot,” Ames said.
Her body camera captured the entire incident. “I just shot my finger off,” she’s heard saying in the video. “I just shot my finger.”
The bullet grazed her finger. Luckily, she didn’t lose any fingers.
The deputy has three pit bulls of her own, and is familiar with the breed, according to investigators.
Police have not said whether the dog’s owner will face any charges.
Both the officer and the man are expected to be OK.
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