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by WEAR staff
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WALTON COUNTY, Fla. — The Walton County Sheriff's Office released a statement Wednesday about a deputy shooting and killing a dog in August as firefighters responded to a fire.
It happened around 5:30 a.m. on Aug. 15 in the area of Mixon Road in Mossy Head.
"At the time first responders were dispatched, it was unknown if there was anyone inside the home during the blaze," the sheriff's office said in a statement on Wednesday. "The caller advised hearing multiple explosions coming from the area of the fire."
Upon Walton County Fire Rescue's arrival, the Battalion Chief on scene radioed to dispatch that "there were two aggressive dogs in the street preventing them from gaining access to the gate to the property," according to the sheriff's office.
"The report from the Battalion Chief indicated the two dogs attacked him, forcing him to retreat to his truck," the release states.
When more firefighters arrived on scene, they were also "pinned inside the apparatus by the animals," according to the sheriff's office.
Walton County Fire Rescue requested Sheriff’s Office assistance with the dogs.
The sheriff's says once the deputy arrived on scene, the dogs "continued to bark and show signs of aggression."
"The deputy attempted to use his taser to scare the dogs away with no success," the release states. "The deputy also attempted to shout at the dogs numerous times to persuade the dogs to retreat."
The sheriff's office says the deputy eventually fired three rounds at the dogs. The first round struck one of the dogs, killing it. The second and third rounds were fired at the second dog, but did not hit it.
A use-of-force report was completed at the beginning of the deputy's next shift and a report was sent to the deputy’s chain of command.
"This use of force is justified and within our policy," the sheriff's office states. "The animals were preventing firefighters from putting out the fire during a time when no one knew if anyone was inside the home and multiple vehicles sat parked in the driveway."
The sheriff's office also addressed comments made on-scene by deputies after the shooting.
"The behavior and language following the shooting are of major concern and our agency continues to investigate the incident regarding those issues to explore any potential disciplinary action," the release states. "The comments made on scene do not meet the expectations we set at the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and are not an indication of our set of values or our mission. The situation is devastating and unfortunate. We understand the concern of the community and ask for the public’s patience as we review the incident in its entirety."
