Kearney Police: officer killed dog after being attacked, owner cited

KEARNEY, Neb. — Kearney Police are reviewing an incident in which a police officer shot and killed a dog on Wednesday.

Police say officers responded to the 1600 block of 10th Ave. for a domestic disturbance call around 10:15. The first officer on scene encountered a large dog in the yard. A news release says the 200-pound Tibetan Mastiff aggressively approached the officer, charged and bit the officer in the knee. The officer fired one shot that struck and killed the dog. Police say the officer acted within department policy, training and in self-defense when firing the shot.

The officer was treated at a hospital and released. Animal Control cited the owner for failure to confine a dangerous dog and an unrestrained dog at large.

Officers investigated the original disturbance call and arrested 34-year-old Francine Lucero-Bennett for second-degree assault and a weapons offense.