Dog Shot After Man Threatens Police Officer With A Pipe: Cops

MASTIC BEACH, NY— A pit bull was shot after a man threatened a police officer with a pipe and released the dog, who charged at the officer, police said.

According to Suffolk County Police, the incident happened Wednesday on Woodland Drive in Mastic Beach. Anthony Johnson, 58, of Woodland Drive, was driving a 2003 Chevy Tahoe west on Wavecrest Drive when a Seventh Precinct officer attempted to make a traffic stop at 10:40 a.m., police said.

Johnson refused to stop and the officer followed the vehicle to Johnson's home on Woodland Drive, where Johnson exited the vehicle and refused to comply with the officer's directions, police said.

Johnson threatened the officer with a metal pipe before releasing a pit bull mix dog from the rear yard of the home, police said. The dog charged at the officer and the officer fired a single shot, injuring the dog, police said.

Johnson was arrested and charged with second degree menacing, second degree obstruction of governmental administration, resisting arrest, and felony aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, police said.

Johnson’s driver’s license had been suspended 35 times, police said.

Johnson will be held overnight at the Seventh Precinct is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Thursday, police said.

Patch photo courtesy Suffolk County Police.