UPDATE (2:55 p.m.): Blue, the pitbull dog that was shot during a standoff Friday night, has died according to APD spokesperson Lt. Dave Parker.
The standoff started shortly after 6:15 p.m. Friday when Anchorage police arrived at the home of 22-year-old Lydell Butler.
Butler had multiple warrants out for his arrest. When the police arrived at Butler's residence he refused to come out of his home. Police officers could hear the dog and asked Butler to secure the dog, but he did not and released the pitbull dog instead.
The dog attempted to bite an officer twice before the officer shot the pitbull multiple times.
Blue was euthanized last night while officers were present.
Police shot an Anchorage dog Friday evening after a man released the pet from his home during a standoff around 8 p.m.
Anchorage police arrived at the Bearfoot Circle residence to serve a warrant to the man. The man refused to leave his residence. During a 45-minute-long standoff with the police, he set his pitbull dog loose on officers in his back yard.
An officer shot the dog after he perceived it as a threat.
Sgt. Lee Rohwer with the Anchorage Police Department said it wasn’t the first time people have used their animals as weapons on police officers, and officers have to respond accordingly.
“If it's a situation where we're in fear of serious physical injury, then we're certainly going to take whatever measures we need to protect ourselves, and in this case, I believe the dog lunged with his mouth open toward the officer's face,” Rohwer said.
After it was shot, the dog, named Blue, ran away from the scene. Officers found the dog and transported it to Pet Emergency.
Pet Emergency officials would not give details except that they were treating the dog.
Police did not release the name of the man, who was eventually taken into custody.
Editor's note: The name of the dog, "Blue," has been corrected from its intial appearance as "Rupert."
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