DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
A Daytona Beach man said Tuesday his two dogs were shot in cold blood six times in his own back yard.
James Estep said his Sunday morning was rocked by gunfire as the shots rang out.
By the time Estep got outside, he said he saw several officers with their guns drawn and his two pit bulls dead on the ground.
"They said my two dogs attacked their K-9," Estep said.
Daytona Beach police said they were chasing two car thieves who wrecked the car and bailed. The officers called in their K-9 named Blaze, and he led them to Estep's backyard.
The police report said two pit bulls in the yard attacked the K-9 and wouldn't let go -- not even when the officer sprayed them with pepper spray. That's when the officer said he fired six shots -- three at each dog.
But Estep said the attack didn't happen.
"There's no blood, and my dogs had no sign of bites on them, just bullet holes. They said they maced them. We carried them to the backyard and buried them. We should have had mace all over us, but we had none," Estep said.
Karen Brewster, Estep's neighbor, said, "I'm outraged. I'm absolutely outraged. Two beautiful dogs were murdered. There's no other way to put it."
But Police Chief Mike Chitwood said he stands by his officer.
Estep said there's no justice. His dogs were like his kids, and they didn't deserve to get gunned down in their own territory.
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