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Bratton: NYPD Officer Who Fatally Shot Pit Bull 'Will Have To Justify' His Actions

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton is speaking out about the officer who killed a pit bull while responding to an investigation.

The incident was caught on video.

CBS2's Dick Brennan reported Monday that Bratton said the officer will have to justify why he killed the dog who slipped out of a neighbor's apartment.

"In all cases we have to leave it up to the officer's understanding of what's happening and whether to use the taser, the pepper spray or gun. This incident he used the firearm and that's part of the investigation," Bratton said. "He will have to justify what was going through his mind at that particular time."

The shooting happened in the stairwell of a Bronx building on 184th Street last month.

While police responded to a domestic violence call, Yvonne Rosado opened her door to see what was happening. That's when her pit bull named Spike slipped out.

The dog ran over to the officer, wagging his tail. The officer, identified by sources as Ruben Cuesta, pulled his weapon and fired at point-blank range, killing Spike.

"The questions come up should he have used pepper spray, did he need to shoot at all. That will all be part of the investigation," Bratton said. "I've seen the video myself, portions of it."

The video also shows Rosado running down the stairs in her underwear, confronting the officers.

"They jumped on top of me, three men. I'm in my undergarments in the hallway," Rosado told CBS2.

Neighbor Irma Santiago said Rosada's back was left "black and blue" because they pinned her to the stairs.

Cuesta is still on the job, pending an investigation.

Rosado hopes the officer is disciplined.

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