South Brunswick Cop Shoots Dog That Attacked Him, Prosecutor Says

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — A South Brunswick police officer shot a dog that attacked him Thursday while he was responding to a report of loose livestock, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office said.

Prosecutor Linda Estremera said Friday that the dog died of its injuries. The officer was taken to Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, treated and released. The prosecutor's office said he was in stable condition.

South Brunswick police got calls Thursday from two passing drivers who said livestock had escaped and were near the road, where they could be hit by a vehicle, the prosecutor’s office said.

The officer was walking up a driveway to find the homeowner when a dog on the property attacked him, authorities said. He fired his gun to stop the attack.

The prosecutor's office is the independent investigating agency under Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive 2019-4. The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information can call Detective Stenly Vertus at 732-745-8083.

Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com