UPDATE: Worthington MN cop shoots dog outside resident’s home

The Officer left his vehicle, approached the two dogs, and then shot one of them when it charged towards him

***Updated with body cam footage and press release from the department.

An unidentified Officer from the Worthington Police Department in Minnesota shot a resident’s dog twice in the right bicep on April 22 around 5:40pm, after pulling up to the owner’s property where their two dogs were outside and unleashed.

The officer stepped out of his vehicle after parking in front of the owner’s driveway and confronted the dogs. As the Officer approached them, one of the dogs charged the officer barking, prompting the Officer to shoot the dog.

The dog had to be rushed to an ER in Sioux Falls, SD, roughly an hour away to get medical attention, which cost the family roughly $3,250. The dog survived.

According to the owners, their two dogs are friendly German Rottweilers. They’ve had them since they were babies, and they play with their kids. “I got 4 kids ages 18 through 4 years old, and he has never approached no one in harm!”

Here is a press release and body cam footage that was posted on the Worthington PD’s Facebook page a little over an hour ago.

On April 22, 2024, the Worthington Police Department responded to the 1100 Block of 7th Avenue to a report of dogs running at large. Upon arrival, an officer located two Rottweilers running unrestrained. The Rottweilers aggressively ran and lunged toward the officer in the street, causing the officer to fire two rounds from his duty pistol to prevent being bit.

The Rottweilers owners Luis Ponce and Erika Maldonado have had 10 dog at large complaints since 2016 regarding to the two Rottweilers and one other dog.

On October 19, 2023, Worthington Animal Control Officer observed these same Rottweilers running unrestrained in the middle of the street. The Animal Control Officer attempted to call the Rottweilers in an attempt to restrain them when one of the Rottweilers aggressively rushed him, showing its teeth, growling, and barking. The Animal Control Officer was unable to restrain the Rottweilers due to their aggressive behavior. The owner Erika Maldonado arrived and claimed the dogs and was warned for dog at large and instructed to keep the dogs better secured.

On April 13, 2024, The Worthington Police Department responded to the Sanford Medical Center for a report of a dog bite. It was determined that a 4-year-old Rottweiler owned by Erika Maldonado and Luis Ponce bit a 5-year-old while at Ponce’s residence. The child received puncture injuries from the incident. The owner was advised to quarantine the dog for 10 days. The end of the quarantine would end April 24, 2024. The 10-day quarantine for dog bites is to ensure the safety and health following a bite to a victim. The dog can be either quarantined at the residence or a veterinarian’s office. The Officer responding on April 22nd was unaware at the time of this reported dog bite or any previous reports of the Rottweilers and their aggressive behavior.

The owners have not had charges pressed against them for having their dogs unleashed.