Pit bull shot after attacking K9 outside courthouse
It was a scene that terrified people who were just trying to learn about the life of a deputy.
The Franklin County Sheriff's office was holding a community event right outside its offices on South High Street.
One of the deputies at the event was a K9 officer and his dog, Vando.
Witnesses say that people were everywhere: they were talking with deputies, kids were crawling in the SWAT bear cat and then that's when Joe Micham says he saw what happened.
" I was petting Vando, then out of the corner of my eye, I saw the pit bull not on a leash and it started to fight Vando."
Micham says that's when Vando's handler shot the pit bull, but he wasn't the only deputy to open fire. Another deputy also took aim.
"I think they could have handled it a lot different, " says Micham.
Richard Wiche also witnessed the pit bull attack, but wants to know why the deputies didn't just taze the dog.
"They didn't have to kill him. There were people around. There were kids around. It was dangerous. Someone could have been hit."
Investigators will look into the action of the deputies.
Deputies arrested 31-year-old Aaron Slate, who's been charged with assaulting a police dog and is being held on an outstanding criminal trespassing warrant.
Vando has been checked out by Med-Vet and is doing fine. He's back on duty.
Stay with ABC 6/FOX 28 for the latest on this developing story.
