Family Seeks $75K After Riverside Police Fatally Shoots Pit Bull

RIVERSIDE (CBSLA.com) — The family of a pit bull shot to death by Riverside police officers has filed a claim with the city, seeking $75,000.

Police say on Aug. 23 an officer trying to serve an arrest warrant on a murder suspect was charged by Brad the Pitt bull, according to the Riverside Press-Enterprise. The officers were in the backyard of the dog's owners, trying to set up a perimeter in case the suspect fled.

"One of the officers was approached by an aggressive dog and, fearing for his safety, he dispatched the dog," Riverside police Lt. Guy Toussaint said.

The claim, seeking $5,000 for the dog and $70,000 for general damages, was filed Wednesday.

"He wasn't just a dog, he was a member of our family," Luis Rivera said. Brad the Pitt Bull was a member of the Rivera family before the couple had children.

An attorney representing the dog's owners says an officer at the scene said the dog was shot to gain access to the yard, but police say no such statement was ever made.

Filing a claim is typically the first step in the process of filing a lawsuit against a city.