Family dog that bit officer shot by police

LANSING - A Lansing police officer shot and killed a family dog Wednesday night after it bit another officer during a search for a suspect on the city's south side.

Lansing police spokesman Robert Merritt said the incident happened shortly before midnight in the 4000 block of Ingham Street.

Officers were looking for a suspect who ran from a moped during a traffic stop. They were told that he might be hiding in a yard near a residence on Ingham, Merritt said. They saw an open door and approached it, believing the suspect might have forced his way inside.

Merritt said the officers spotted a large dog coming toward them from inside and tried to close the door. But as they retreated, the dog ran out, bit one of them in the leg and turned towards the other officer, who shot it with his service weapon, he said.

The incident will be reviewed to determine if the officer who shot the dog followed department procedure, police officials said.

"Our sincere condolences go out to the owner and family of the dog," Lansing police Chief Mike Yankowski said. "This was an unfortunate incident for all involved. (It happened) as the officers were attempting to apprehend a wanted subject who had possibly fled through the victim's property."

Contact Ken Palmer at (517) 377-1032 or kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.