Protest held after off-duty FBI special agent shoots dog in Center City Philadelphia
"Initial information is that the agent shot & wounded an aggressive dog," the FBI said.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- An off-duty FBI agent shot and killed a dog in Center City Monday night after investigators say the larger animal attacked her small dog.
Law enforcement sources identified the agent to Action News as Jacqueline Maguire, the special agent in charge of the FBI in Philadelphia.
Police say the incident happened around 8 p.m. Monday in front of the Touraine Apartments near 16th and Spruce streets. Investigators say Maguire had been walking her dog when two other leashed dogs walked by and one attacked.
"I just heard through my AirPods a bunch of high-pitched noises and then what sounded like a gunshot," said Center City resident Vanessa Huber.
"What I know is she had a smaller dog, and a larger dog attacked that dog. When she tried to get her dog back, I think the dog attacked her and then she discharged the weapon," said Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore.
The family says the dog Maguire shot is a 7-year-old pit bull named Mia. Cell phone video from Rob Hartsell shows the dog's owner holding Mia on the street after she was shot.
The family says Mia died in her owner's arms in a police van on the way to an emergency clinic.
"People just assume that pit bulls are aggressive, but in reality they are very, very loving. Just give them a chance and obviously don't shoot them dead," said Mansi Bhagwate, the founder of Revolution Philadelphia, an animal rights group.
On Tuesday, the group protested outside of FBI headquarters with signs demanding justice for Mia.
"It honestly broke my heart because I have a pit bull and my dog is the most loving, my dog is the most loving dog there is," said Bhagwate.
The FBI said in a statement it takes all shooting incidents regarding its agents seriously. It is investigating alongside the Philadelphia Police officer-involved shooting unit.
