NYC Cop Fires Warning Shot to End Dog Attack in Nanuet

An off-duty New York City police officer shot at and scared off a group of three dogs that were barking at and circling a jogger on Oakland Place in Nanuet on Monday, according to Clarkstown police.

No one was injured in the incident, which is under investigation by the town’s animal control officer.

Police said that at about 3:30 p.m. Monday a jogger encountered the three loose mix-breed dogs, which were acting aggressively but did not attack the jogger. The off-duty police officer, a resident of Oakland Place, went to assist the jogger and used his gun to scare off the dogs by firing a shot into his own lawn.

With the shot, the dogs ran off and the incident ended. Police said the off-duty police officer fired the shot to protect himself and neighbors, and that portion of the incident is not under any further investigation.

An Oakland Place resident witnessed the entire incident. Jack Moolick and his wife were arriving home yesterday when it happened.

“I went into the house and she (Moolick’s wife) was outside,” he said. “All of a sudden, we heard all of these dogs barking. My next door neighbor came out and he is a NYC policeman. (The dogs) they come charging down the block to us. We went into our house. My neighbor didn't make it into his place in time because he was trying to protect us.”

“I'm watching all of this from my doorway. (The NYC police officer) he pulled his revolver and shot (at the dogs). Then Clarkstown Police came,” Moolick added.

Clarkstown Animal Control Officer Patricia Coleman said she is investigating the incident and she is familiar with the dogs involved. The dogs belong to a tenant in a home on the street.

”We've been complaining about the dogs for years,” said Moolick. “They don't take (the dogs) away; they just move them to another location but they just keep coming back.”