Dec 13, 1988 Rockford Pit Bull Used by Drug Dealers to Booby Trap Drug House

Rockford - Narcotics Officers were forced to shoot a pit bull after they busted down the door to a booby trapped drug house.

The Winnegago county Metro narcotics unit  officers shot the pit bull more than nine times as it continued to charge at the officers.

"It came flying out the door," said Sgt. Richard McMahon, head of the narcotics unit.  "We shot it nine times, and still it didn't even faze the dog."

The Rockford Register Star, Rockford IL, December 13, 1988, p. 3A

Nov 16, 1988 Pit Bull Restrictions Weighed In De Kalb

De Kalb Proposal Follows Fatal Mauling Of Student

De Kalb - The City of De Kalb may restrict ownership of pit bull terriers after last week`s fatal mauling of a Northern Illinois University student by pit bulls in Kane County.

City Manager Mark Stevens told the City Council Monday that he has asked City Attorney Ron Matakaitis to research the legalities of the issue after De Kalb residents called his office voicing fears about the breed of dog.

There are 23 pit bulls registered in De Kalb County, seven in the City of De Kalb, according to Karen Grush, a De Kalb County Health Department administrator.

Last Thursday, a pit bull mauled to death Kevin Cull, 25, of 120 Gurler St., De Kalb, a master`s degree candidate in chemistry who was to graduate from NIU in December. The mauling took place in front of a house in unincorporated Geneva Township that Cull apparently was visiting.

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Chicago Tribune
http://trib.in/1EWsij3

Nov 12, 1988 Dekalb Pit Bull Kills NIU Student Kevin Cull



"He was covered in blood," said Hatchel.  "He said he was in pain and wanted to die."

Cull was pronounced dead at 7:30 p.m. at Central DuPage Hospital where he was taken by Geneva Fire Department paramedics.

Cull bled to death after an artery was severed in his arm, Randall said.  He had been bitten numerous times.

Two dogs, Sergeant and Colonel, one weighing about 90 pounds and the other about 75 pounds, were taken from the home by Rodger Stutz, Kane County animal control warden, after the attack.  They are being held at a veterinary clinic in Oswego.

John Carnahan, Cull's chemistry adviser, said Cull was an excellent student with a promising future.

He already had published three articles in professional journals and had a job offer when he graduated in December, Carnahan said.

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Chicago Tribune 
The Rockford Register Star
The Milwaukee Journal

Nov 04, 1988 Chicago Pit Bull Attacks Narcotics Officer, Shot 4 Times

Chicago — Police officers shot an attacking pit bull four times during a drug raid Thursday in which two West Side men were arrested for cocaine possession. The dog escaped.

Terrell Harris, 20, and Michael Reed, 17, were charged withsessing $1,900 worth of cocaine and weapons violations after a raid on their home at 942 N. Hamlin St., police said.

A pit bull in the apartment attacked officer John Kotlarz, one of seven narcotics officers participating in the raid. After Kotlarz shot the dog twice, officer Joseph Cannon shot the dog twice, police said.

Though wounded, the dog escaped through the front door and ran south on Hamlin Street.

``We`ve seen them coming with six (bullets) in them,`` one police officer said.

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Chicago Tribune
http://bit.ly/1EpP5Ax

Sep 29, 1988 City of Wyoming Passes BSL Pit Bulls Presumed Vicious

Wyoming - Pit bulls declared inherently vicious and must be contained in a 6 sided structure.

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May 03, 1988 City of Rock Falls Outlaws New Pit Bulldogs

Rock Falls - An ordinance that requires pit bulldogs to be licensed and outlaws new ones in the city was approved by a wide margin Monday.

Rock Falls Ald. Lee Folsom, chairman of the ordinance committee, said he differentiates pit bulldogs from others because of their nature.

"My feeling is we're playing with a very serious problem," Folsom said.  "A pit bulldog is more violent.  I feel we're doing something the community needs."

The national Association of Letter carriers Local 1830 was instrumental in promoting the ordinance because of concerns about pit bull attacks.  Local 1830 President Mike Spain thanked the council for passing the ordinance.

Rockford Register Star, Rockford, IL, May 3, 1988, p. 3A

May 01, 1988 Rockford Aunt's Pit Bull Mix Attack Boy, 3

Machesney Park — A 3 year-old boy was injured when he was attacked Saturday afternoon by his aunt's dog, a pit bull mix, a Winnebago County sheriff's deputy said.

Ryan O'Connor, 7402 Scott Lane, was playing in the backyard of his aunt, Jackie Davis, 31 Liberty Blvd., when the dog attacked him, said Deputy Rocco Wagner.  The boy suffered "puncture wounds on the face and back and severe lacerations on the back of the head," Wagner said.

The boy was released Saturday evening after treatment at Swedish American Hospital.

The dog, half pit bull and half British bulldog, was chained at the time of the attack, Wagner said.  He said the dog was released, at the owner's request, to Winnebago County Animal Control and will be destroyed after an observation period.

Wagner said the same dog attacked a young girl last July.

Officials at Animal Control said they will hold the dog for a 10 day quarantine period before they destroy it.  They said the dog had received its proper rabies shots.  The observation period is additional protection. 

William Taylor, 28 Wilshire Blvd., who lives across from Davis' yard, said he was gardening at the time of the attack and heard the dog "growling viciously."

"I looked up and saw the kid was underneath the dog," Taylor said.  "I saw the dog taking vicious bites, so I started screaming and yelling at the dog.  The dog just looked at me for a second, and the boy managed to pull himself out from underneath the dog.

"The dog was taking serious, vicious bites which really shook me," he said.

Taylor said he did not notice the boy playing in the yard before the attack.  He did not know if something provoked the attack.

The Rockford Register Star, Rockford IL, May 01, 1988, p. 3A

Mar 25, 1988 Chicago Man With Pit Bull Shot Battling Cop


Chicago - A 21-year-old man who was allegedly intimidating people with his pit bull terrier was shot in the ear Wednesday night after he got into a fight with an undercover youth officer, whose gun discharged accidentally, police said.

Eric Baker, who gave police an address that turned out to be false, ``was panhandling money from people, using his pit bull,`` said Sgt. Paul Carroll of the Belmont Area. ``He was intimidating them.``

Baker approached Youth Officer Jose Reyes, of the special investigations unit, who was walking on the sidewalk in the 900 block of West Belmont Avenue, while the officer was checking reports that teenage prostitutes were in the area.

After Reyes refused Baker`s demand of money, Baker allegedly punched the plainclothes officer in the face, Carroll said. Baker then yelled to his dog, ``Sic him.``

Reyes yelled that he was a police officer and pulled out his gun, as Baker continued to fight with him. During the struggle a 16-year-old companion of Baker jumped into the fight, according to police.

Reyes` partner, Lawrence Corey, jumped from a nearby unmarked police car and pulled the teenager off the policeman and handcuffed him. As the fight continued, Reyes and Baker fell to the sidewalk, and the policeman`s gun accidentally discharged, police said.

The dog then bit Reyes in the right hand and in the lower left rib cage, causing a five-inch gash. Baker, who was charged with aggravated battery and attempted robbery, was in fair condition in Illinois Masonic Medical Center with a gunshot wound to his right ear. Reyes was treated and released from the same hospital.

The 16-year-old was charged with simple battery in a juvenile petition. The dog was turned over to the city animal control center.

In a separate shooting early Wednesday, a 62-year-old man described by police as ``a career criminal`` was wounded during a shootout with detectives who were trying to arrest him on charges of shooting at other officers.

Sidney Carver, who police said went to prison when he was 15 years old, was wounded from gunfire from three detectives who were staking out a second floor apartment at 912 W. Agatite Ave., according to Carroll.

Carver was being sought on warrants charging that he had robbed the Brown Elephant resale shop, 3508 N. Broadway, once last summer and again on March 3. While he was fleeing the last time, Carver allegedly shot at two tactical unit officers who were responding to the report of a robbery in progress.

Police learned that Carver was staying with a friend at the Agatite Avenue courtyard building. Detectives John Fitzsimmons, Ronald Yawger and Joseph Guzolek, of the Belmont Area violent crimes unit, staked out the apartment and when Carver open the door at about 3 a.m., he began shooting at the three police officers, Carroll said.

Carver surrendered after being shot in the left arm. Carver was in good condition in Weiss Memorial Hospital. He was charged with two counts of armed robbery and four counts of attempted murder, Carroll said.

Read more:
Chicago Tribune
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-03-25/news/8803030571_1_pit-bull-police-charged
http://trib.in/1Fb9yj8


Feb 03, 1988 Dog Fights in Abandoned Building Lead to Arrest of Four Youths

Chicago - Four South Side juveniles were arrested last week after police discovered that they had been holding dog fights in an abandoned apartment building on the 800 block of S. Oakwood Blvd.

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Hyde Park Herald

Jan 03, 1988 Rockford looking at Pit Bull Ban Proposals

Rockford - Proposals for an ordinance that would prohibit or restrict pit bulls within city limits were ordered Tuesday by the City Council Codes and Regulations.

Ald. Patrick Curran, R-2nd, who sat in on the meeting, said punishing a pit bull after an attack is not enough.

"Apparently, there is an inordinate percentage of pit bulldog attacks without provocation -- sooner or later, someone's going to get it." he said.

Rockford Register Star, Rockford, IL, February 03, 1988, p. 3A