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Man Says Police Were Justified In Killing Dogs That Were Attacking His Girlfriend

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (CBS4) - Police shot and killed two dogs after they attacked a woman and her dogs in Commerce City on Wednesday.

The incident happened on 60th Avenue between Newport an Oneida streets just before 8 p.m.

No Trespassing Beware Of The Dog signs
(credit: CBS)

The woman who was attacked is nursing some serious wounds but wanted her story told. CBS4's Karen Morfitt spoke with her boyfriend, Jayson Emo, about the attack and shootings.

The victim and Emo are dog lovers themselves. They know there are other options like using a stun gun or pepper spray, but Emo says this situation was different and that his girlfriend's life was in jeopardy.

Emo says the two dogs that attacked his girlfriend were out for blood.

"This was not an overzealous cop with a gun. This was a guy watching a little woman be attacked by a big dog and did the only thing that he could've done," Emo said.

According to Emo, his girlfriend was walking their two Chihuahuas around the neighborhood and was nearly home when the attack happened.

"A pit bull came out of the property to the property line and so did a Rottweiler that came out of the house," Emo said. "She saw the dogs and tried to walk faster and put some distance between them."

Just when she thought she was in the clear the dogs came running after her. Emo says they bit her and her dogs multiple times before police, who were en route to another call, witnessed the attack and stepped in.

"They weren't stopping when my girl was screaming and thrashing at them. As sad as it is he had to kill those dogs to save her," Emo said.

The owner of the dogs that were shot wasn't home when the attack happened but she says it's likely the wind may have blown the gate open. One of her dogs is a Rottweiler and she's not sure about the breed of the other -- but police cited her for violating the city's pit bull ban. She admitted her dogs can get aggressive.

"They're not aggressive with my children. With strangers they are, but that's just if they walk up to the house -- the dogs bark and growl at them," the woman said.

RELATED: Officers Shoot & Kill 2 Dogs In Commerce City

Yet she still questions whether or not police had shoot or if something else could've been done. Emo says there's no question the shooting was justified.

"I'm generally the first person to say, 'Why did they shoot the dog?' This wasn't that story. This was an emergency, this was a life-threatening situation that was in progress," he said.

Emo also says that his girlfriend is an advocate for large dogs and even worked at a dog rescue. Despite being attacked he says she still thinks the dogs can be acceptable pets as long as owners are responsible.

The woman is at home recovering.

The couple thought it was important to tell their side of the story in support of Commerce City police who have recently come under fire for another fatal shooting involving a dog named Chloe (Story Archive).

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