By STEVEN RAY HERNANDEZ Dog owner Fernando Baez is shown talking with Editor police after his dog was shot in the mouth by a former editor@sbnewspaper.com San Benito police officer.
The local community is outraged after a former San Benito police officer fired three shots at an American Pit Bull Terrier off the 400 block of White Wing Street Thursday night, striking him in the mouth and breaking his jaw after he claims the dog was loose and attacked his dog on his property.
According to property documents, former San Benito police officer Ezequiel “Zeke” Torres lives at the residence where the incident occurred and is believed to be the “shooter” involved.
Co-owner of the dog and San Benito resident Fernando Baez, who breeds the terriers with another neighbor, says his dog “Gordo” has never hurt anyone before and that this incident should have “never happened.”
“The guy went too far, he’s a cop, he should know procedure,” Baez said Friday afternoon after a verbal argument 
between him and the former officer prompted San Benito police to make a return visit to the original site of the incident. “Here’s what scared me. The guy admitted to me that he’s legally blind in one eye completely and that his vision is going out in the other eye. And so he makes the decision and instead of calling the pound, he goes inside and comes back outside with gloves and shoots my dog… Why not let the cops do what they do. Just like he called them (cops) right now, why couldn’t he call them yesterday? Hey, there’s a dog loose, come pick him up, we’ll bail him out and everyone’s happy,” he added.
According to Baez, Gordo was taken to a local veterinarian this morning to undergo an emergency surgery procedure and to remove the bullet(s) lodged in his jaw. He noted that the medical expenses were already estimated at about $1,000.
According to the San Benito Police Department, who confirmed that the shooter was in fact a former SB police officer, the incident occurred around 7:00 p.m. Thursday night and officers were dispatched in response to a shots-fired call.
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Pit bulls have become enmeshed in the underclass “culture” of the RGV. They are popular animals among gangs and drug dealers (which is one in the same). They are part of a culture that uses these animals to boost the individuals low self-esteem and to protect their “stash”. Most of the people I have seen with these dogs are unsavory individuals in neighborhoods riddled with poverty and drugs. Are there responsible pit bull owners; I’m sure they are out there somewhere. I do believe that the majority of the owners of these dogs own them for all the wrong reasons.
Typical reaction from a pit bull owner. First let your pit bull roam and terrorize the neighborhood. Then when someone protects their child or dog from your mauler’s attack, protest and say how unfair it is that your pit bull got hurt. After all, the intention was the no matter what, someone or something other than your pit bull would die. Then you could explain to all the world why the victim’s death was their own fault — shouldn’t have ‘provoked’ your roaming mauler.
If you don’t want you killer bulldog choked, stabbed or shot to death, then keep it confined. If you don’t, then don’t complain when someone defends themselves. What should happen now is that this pit bull should as yet be put down and this Baez person banned from ever owning another dog.
Now wait a minute… a loose dog wanders onto the neighbors property and starts attacking his dog, so he shoots the attacking dog. And the public is outraged why??
He shouldn’t have to pay for protecting himself and his dog. Pit Nutters rarely have to pay when their monsters attack and kill a real pet. Better luck with your aim next time, Baez.
That dog got what he deserved. If a dog is loose and on someone’s else property attacking someone’s else dog, then the dog deserves to be shot. That owner needs to get his dog fixed and keep him from him getting loose. He is the one that needs to take reaponsabilty for his dogs’s actions.
It would be interesting if the San Benito News would look into the city’s Animal Control Department. I’m very certain that you will discover the mistreatment of dogs, cats, etc. at the city’s animal control facility.
That is some hysterical reporting. If they asked around they’d probably find out the dog was a neighborhood menace, no one was surprised the dog was loose AGAIN and they are afraid of it. When you choose to own a dog you should choose the responsibility that goes with it and keep your walking meat grinder controlled and on YOUR property at all times.
I’m not claiming no police officer has ever done wrong or exercised bad judgment… they’re fallible and human mortals like the rest of us. What they do have, though, is training and experience with crisis situations in abundance. They must follow protocol. That protocol is based on a precedent of history. That history shows it is far too reckless to let a pit bull type dog roam at large–especially when it’s aggressive. What these animals do to people is not like the fearful, quick bite-and-release snap of an ordinary domestic dog.
Additionally, law enforcement must act with prevention in mind. Preservation of the peace. “Prevent “the deed.” This breed is infamous for sustaining attacks even after being beaten, gouged, stabbed, hit by a car, tazed, maced, and even shot REPEATEDLY. It’s important to keep in mind the damage that could be wrought upon the officers or innocent bystanders.
It’s important to keep in mind the unique horrors these animals can visit upon a body with no warning, and in seconds.