Pit bulls shot, killed during drug raid on Meriden apartment

Pit bulls shot, killed during drug raid on Meriden apartment
By Jennifer Manes, Record-Journal staff

MERIDEN — Police shot and killed two pit bulls during a raid on a Franklin Street apartment Tuesday afternoon.

City police and detectives, with the Statewide Narcotics Task Force, executed a search warrant for the second-floor apartment at 99 Franklin St. on suspicion of drugs inside, according to police spokesman Sgt. Lenny Caponigro. Upon entering the apartment, police were charged by two pit bulls, Caponigro said.

“Obviously, they didn’t like the cops being there,” Caponigro said. At first, the officers shocked one of the dogs using a stun gun. When that failed to tame the dog, Caponigro said, an officer hit it with the stun gun. “At first the pit bull backed off, but then it charged again and they were forced to shoot him,” Caponigro said.

“Officers tried to pen the second dog in a separate room but were unsuccessful,” Caponigro said. When the second dog charged, Caponigro said, the officers used their stun guns. Again, the stun guns were ineffective, he said. Three officers each shot the dog once.

Both dogs died and were taken out of the building by the animal control officer.

Caponigro defended the officers’ actions Tuesday evening.

“As a police officer, you want to go home at night,” Caponigro said. “You want to go home to your family. You don’t want to get mauled by a pit bull.”

Police arrested four women in the raid. Nikkia Booker, 25, and Elsa Chaparro, 42, were both charged with operating a drug factory, possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both were held on a $25,000 bond.

Police also charged Jessenia Preston, 17, and Shadelle Rogers, 20, with possession of marijuana. Both were released on bond, police said.