District attorney says charges won’t be filed after lost dog shot, killed by Ambridge police officer

AMBRIDGE, Pa. — One week after an Ambridge police officer shot and killed a lost dog in the parking lot of the police station, the Beaver County District Attorney has ruled that officer’s actions were justified.

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The announcement came after the police chief asked DA David Lozier to review the incident.

“I was provided with copies of witness statements, police reports, some Facebook screen captures, and the videos that are available of the incident. I reviewed all of those today, and it’s my conclusion that there’s no criminal action and there’s no charges to be brought. The officer did not act improperly,” Lozier said.

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The large female mastiff was found running through a neighborhood in Ambridge last Friday morning and brought to the police station in hopes of tracking down the owner, according to police.

At one point, officers tried to remove the dog from a kennel and the DA says that encounter was caught on surveillance video.

11 News has not seen the video, but Lozier described what it shows.

“The dog went after the officer and you can very clearly see on the video that the officer is backpedaling as fast he can to avoid being bit by the dog and he shoots the dog as the dog is coming after the officer,” Lozier said.

Jane Stadnik is the woman who found the dog and called the police last week.

We spoke to her hours later and asked her about the dog’s demeanor.

She said the dog showed no signs of aggression toward her.

“I totally wouldn’t have expected that,” Stadnik said.

But Lozier said that’s not what should be questioned.

“Whose dog was this?” Lozier asked. “Who let a 100-pound mastiff, who appeared malnourished, just run around Ambridge with a leash? The dog had clearly just given birth, there was no license, it hadn’t been receiving proper medical care. Where’s the owner?”

According to Lozier, as of Thursday, an owner has not come forward.

The surveillance video of last Friday’s incident has been turned over to the Ambridge solicitor.

11 News has reached out to the solicitor and is working to get a copy of that footage.

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