Officials with the Los Angeles County sheriff's office say a deputy accidentally killed a teenager while attempting to stop an aggressive pit bull from attacking him.
Capt. Christopher Bergner says the 17-year-old was hit by a ricochet in the chest after deputies opened fire on the dog that lunged at them for a second time on Thursday morning. The dog, estimated to be between 60 and 70 pounds, was also shot, and taken by animal control officers.
Deputies were responding to reports of a loud party in Palmdale when the dog attacked and bit one officer in the knee. That deputy was taken to the hospital where his condition is unknown. The teenager reportedly tried tying the dog up to prevent it from attacking again, but at some point, the pit bull managed to break free and charge at the deputies again.
Bergner called the shooting an "extremely extremely unfortunate incident."