According to Monmouth County authorities, a Keyport couple face charges after their dog aggressively acted toward a resident.
This prompted an officer to fire his weapon on Saturday evening on Tuesday, officials reported.
Alexyss Ferrara, 29, and Angel Velez Jr, 34, both of Keyport, have been charged with Possessing a Dangerous Dog and multiple violations of local ordinances regarding an incident involving their dog Blaze on Saturday night, authorities say.
The summonses are related to the dog’s aggressive behavior and for the dog running unsupervised off of a leash.
According to authorities, on Saturday night, October 22, at approximately 5:41 p.m., the Keyport Police Department received an emergency call for an aggressive animal cornering a female passerby and her dog in the vicinity of the 40 block of Pine Street.
Upon arrival, officers attempted to contact the owner when they encountered the animal in a parking lot.
The dog swiftly turned and advanced toward the responding officers.
At that point, one of the officers fired his service weapon, striking the animal in the shoulder.
The dog retreated into a garage near the incident. Authorities from the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MCSPCA) arrived on the scene, subdued the animal, and took the dog for treatment.
The dog is currently in stable condition.
The investigation revealed that the dog had been at the residence of a relative of Ferrara and Velez Jr. when the animal got loose and subsequently encountered the female passerby, after which a witness called Keyport Police for assistance, officials say.
BWC footage of the incident: Keyport Police Department Body-Worn Camera Footage October 22, 2022 - YouTube.