A Seattle police officer shot and killed an “aggressive” dog Friday afternoon after it attacked a woman in Jim Ellis Freeway Park, according to officials. Patrol officers arrived near the 600 block of Seneca Street at about 2:50 p.m. and found the woman with bite injuries. She was taken to a hospital for treatment. The dog was taken to a veterinary clinic but later died as the department opened an investigation.
As reported by KIRO 7 News, the response unfolded just before 3 p.m., and officers fired while trying to get the dog under control. Initial reports did not detail how serious the woman’s injuries were.
Police account and investigation
According to the Seattle Police Department’s blotter, patrol officers responded to reports of a dog attack and, while attempting to control the animal, an officer discharged a department firearm, striking the dog. Officers then transported the animal to a veterinary clinic, where it later died. SPD listed the case as an active investigation under incident number 2026-28916. The department said the bite victim was transported to the hospital, but did not release further details.
Freeway Park is a downtown green space that crosses over Interstate 5 near the Convention Center and is a regular daytime stop for office workers and dog walkers. Incidents like this are uncommon there, but when they do occur they tend to trigger quick reviews because of the park’s heavy foot traffic and visibility.
How the department reviews use-of-force incidents
Serious uses of force are reviewed under SPD’s internal procedures, and the department’s Professional Standards Bureau oversees the Force Investigation Team and the Force Review Board that examine significant incidents, according to SPD policy. Those units gather evidence, interview witnesses and present findings to the Force Review Board to determine whether tactics and training were consistent with department standards…