The Newark Police Internal Affairs Division and the Essex County Prosecutor's Office are continuing to investigate a police-involved shooting that left a dog dead in a Newark West Ward community on Wednesday evening.
The incident happened at around 5 p.m. Wednesday where police say a suspect fled from Jeep truck during a traffic stop after officers observed the driver commit traffic violations in the 300 block of South 14th Street.
Police say the driver drove a short distance before he struck several parked cars then bail from the vehicle.
According to police, the chase ended in the yard of 375 South 14th Street where police say a pit bull began to attack the officer, resulting in shots fired that struck and killed the dog.
The owner of the dog, Kathleen Scudillo, says that her children and her dog -named MidKnight- were done playing in the yard when her son entered the house, and moments later she heard what sounded like gunfire from the outside.
"I was in my room located in the front of the house, Midknight was in a fenced in backyard, where he had just finished playing with my 9-year-old son in the snow. Shortly after, I heard five gunshots in which I ran to my porch and looked around to see what happened" Scudillo said.
"Immediately after I exited my house, I was stopped by several police officers who told me to go back inside of my house. That's when I saw my dog lying dead in the yard."
Scudillo said that a neighbor, who reportedly witnessed the incident, stated that officers fired through the gate striking the dog, but police are actively investigating this claim.
"MidKnight is a family dog; he never attempted to attack the officer. It was in my fenced yard, on my property."
According to Scudillo, because of the snow, she has not been able to give the dog a proper burial, and the remains in a black plastic back on her property.
"Police said the Humane Society would come get the dog to help us and then authorities returned and said they would not be coming back because I am responsible for removing the remains. Who does that? You shoot my dog and then just leave him inhumanely in the snow" Scudillo concluded.
Newark Police officials say the suspect fled through the yards and remained at-large as of Thursday.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.