For the police officer, the man’s body language was the giveaway. His combative stance and his abrupt hand movement hinted at the possibility of danger.A Fort Wayne police officer shot and killed a loose pit bull while trying to arrest a would-be robber, according to court papers filed Friday.
On Monday night, the officer saw a man, later identified as Humberto Hernandez, confronting two people in a Jeep Liberty in the 1100 block of East Pontiac Street, court papers said.
“I will kill you!” Hernandez yelled at the pair, according to court papers. “Give me your money!”
Hernandez had two pit bulls on a leash, and instead of following police orders to step away from the vehicle, he let the dogs off their leash. The officer then shot the bigger of the two dogs, killing it, court papers said.
Police jolted Hernandez with a Taser stun gun, and he fell to the ground. He continued to resist as officers handcuffed him. A test showed he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.20 percent, court papers said.
Hernandez, 22, of the 2900 block of Winter Street, faces a felony charge of attempted robbery and two misdemeanor counts: resisting law enforcement and public intoxication. He was being held at the Allen County Lockup in lieu of $11,500 bail.
