Police: Wyckoff Cop Shoots, Kills Dog After It Bites Him At Mistaken Burglary Location

A Wyckoff police officer shot and killed a dog that bit him on the foot while he was investigating a reported burglary on Lawlins Road Wednesday, police said.

Wyckoff Police received a call of a possible burglary at 621 Lawlins Road at 3:45 p.m., said Chief Benjamin Fox.

Patrolman Kyle Ferreira responded to the call but went to 622 Lawlins Road instead; he knocked on the front door but no one answered so he walked around the house to check the back of the property, Fox said.

Ferreira saw an open window and believed that this was where the alleged burglar could have entered the house, Fox said.

Ferreira did not realize he was at the wrong address and drew his gun; a large, growling German Shepherd lunged out of the open window, bit Ferreira on his right foot, and wouldn’t let go of his boot, Fox said.

Ferreira fired his gun at the dog four times, shooting it twice, Fox said.

Wyckoff Animal Control officers took the dog to an animal hospital for treatment, but it did not survive, authorities said.

The homeowners leave the window open for the dog to go in and out of the house when no one is home, Fox said.

Nobody was home when the dog was shot. Ferreira was not injured.