Man in custody after shooting 16-year-old boy during alleged dog attack

Investigation is ongoing

DETROIT – A 39-year-old man is in custody after allegedly shooting a 16-year-old boy on Detroit's west side Wednesday evening during a confrontation with a pit bull, police said.

It happened in the 19200 block of Bentler Street before 8 p.m. Detroit police applied a tourniquet and the teen was transported to a hospital. Police said the teen is in serious condition.

There are two different stories emerging Wednesday night about what exactly transpired. One situation indicates a neighbor shot to protect the teen, the other is that the neighbor opened fire because the dog charged.

Police said the man was barbecuing in front of his home when the pit bull allegedly charged at his dog, a German shepherd. The German shepherd was tied up between two houses.

At some point the teen was allegedly shot by the man. The man was taken into custody and a revolver was recovered in the backyard.

Police said the teenager was shot in the leg. The man who shot him called for help immediately and is cooperating fully with police.

The dog is believed to be one of three pit bulls often seen locked up at a home farther down the street.

Police are still investigating.


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Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.