Evanston police have opened a use of force investigation after an officer shot a dog in self-defense while responding to a domestic dispute case Sunday night, police said.

Officers were dispatched to an apartment building in the 2000 block of Darrow Avenue when one of the individuals involved in the dispute said the other fled out the back door, Evanston police Cmdr. Joseph Dugan said. The officer then went out the back door to the outside stairwell, Dugan said.

After meeting with two other officers who said they had not seen anyone, the officer decided to check the basement, which was closed but unlocked, police said.

The dog, a 90-pound German shepherd, then came running out of the basement door after the officer opened it, Dugan said. The officer attempted to retreat back up the stairs but lost his balance and fell to the floor in a seated position before discharging his weapon several times, Dugan added. The two-year-old dog was taken to an animal hospital but then died, police said.

“It’s an unfortunate incident,” Dugan said. “But the officer did not know the dog or anything else was in there until he opened the door and then had limited space and options to protect himself.”

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