By Michael Behrendt and Timo Beurich
Panic in the evening hours: An aggressive fighting dog triggered a major police operation on Saturday. The animal was killed and the owner arrested. He is now being investigated.
At around 7:30 p.m., the police were called to the corner of Bernauer and Sterkrader Straße. Witnesses saw a stray Staffordshire bull terrier running around unleashed and attacking passers-by.
Shortly afterwards, according to the police, the owner came out of a residential building and initially put the animal on a leash. But he was unable to calm it down. When the police arrived, Arthur V. (50) let his dog Bella (four years old) walk on a long leash towards the officers. They protected themselves with a shield and used irritant gas against the dog and its owner.
A police officer sprayed tear gas in the direction of the attack dog. The animal’s owner is already lying on the ground Photo: Private
As the police officially announced, the dog initially ran towards the officers again, but turned away and jumped at several passers-by, including a child. When the Staffordshire Bull Terrier charged at the police officers again, they drew their weapons and fired three fatal shots.
Arthur V. was treated for an eye irritation and then transported to the prisoner collection point, where he was processed for identification and had to stay until 8 a.m. on Sunday morning.
Four officers who were deployed suffered injuries to their eyes and respiratory tract, one of whom was unable to continue their duty.
As the BZ learned, the Pole Arthur V. has been living on Bernauer Strasse for two years and is considered an alcohol addict in his area. He is said to have not had a key to his apartment for some time, which is why he uses his bicycle as a climbing aid to get to his rooms via the balcony. During these moments, the dog was always off-leash and on the street – including this Saturday – with dramatic consequences.
According to the police spokesman, such dogs are not prohibited in Berlin, but the owners must pass certain expertise tests. Whether the 50-year-old had the appropriate permits is the subject of the investigation. Legally, however, he will no longer be allowed to own a dog of such a breed.
Several young people with a migrant background used the operation to film plainclothes officers and the license plates of their vehicles. In addition, insults such as “sons of bitches” were used.
The state vice-president of the police union, Thorsten Schleheider: “It is unbelievable that colleagues are being deliberately filmed during such an operation. We’re talking about people who serve society and who rely on protecting their identity to fight crime.”