Officer kills pit bull that had scared neighbors

A pit bull named “Fatty” terrorized a pregnant woman and threatened a man working in his garage before finally picking on the wrong person, according to the Spokane Valley Police Department.

That person was a police officer who shot Fatty, once in the chest from a distance of 5 feet, and once again, after the dog managed to run 20 feet before collapsing Sunday morning in the 7900 block of East Augusta, police spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan said in a news release.

The woman, who is five months pregnant, was washing her car Sunday morning when the dog approached her, growling in a threatening manner, police said.

She screamed as loud as she could, and when the dog left, she called police.

Officer Rich Gere and a back-up officer were attempting to contact the dog’s owner when a man came forward, saying the same dog had threatened him.

He was doing some woodwork in his garage, he told police, when the pit bull tried to bite him.

The man told police he hit the dog in the head with a hammer, which didn’t seem to faze the animal.

The dog then backed off and ran away.

Gere and Spokane County Animal Control Officer David Daley went to the home of Fatty’s owner and were waiting in the front yard when they saw the dog running toward them about 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Reagan said.

Gere assumed the dog would run into its owner’s back yard where Daley could capture him, Reagan said.

Instead, the pit bull turned and advanced on Gere, growling and threatening to attack, Reagan said. Gere drew his pistol and shot the dog once in the chest from about 5 feet away.

The dog did not drop, but ran about 20 feet before collapsing.

Gere ended the dog’s suffering with a second shot, Reagan said.

Daley said Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Services officers were familiar with the dog and his owner, Darren A. Glaspey, 31, 7904 E. Augusta.

Glaspey arrived during the incident and was cited for allowing a dangerous dog at large.

The tan pit bull was one of two at the residence, and Glaspey’s father told Gere that Fatty “is a mean one,” Reagan said.