The Gunnison Police Department said this week that they do not anticipate filing criminal charges following the February death of a 7-year-old boy who was killed by a foster dog in his home. The decision comes as newly released records from the Colorado Sun reveal that the animal had a documented history of aggression and was only days away from being euthanized before being placed with the family.
The victim died on Feb. 4 after an 89-pound pit bull mix named Boaz attacked him while he was beside his mother. According to a police report obtained by the Colorado Sun, an officer arriving at the scene found the dog with its jaws on the boy’s neck and was forced to fire a single shot to make the animal release him.
Following an investigation into the circumstances of the placement, Gunnison police characterized the case as “noncriminal” and stated they would not be referring the report to the district attorney’s office.
“We’re not anticipating any criminal charges,” deputy chief of police Frank Rodriguez said.
The case could end up in civil court, though.
Rodriguez praised the work by the police department at the scene of the incident.
“The actions of our officers were nothing less than heroic,” he said. “I cannot begin to describe how difficult it was to walk in and watch it and how they remained calm, neutralized the dog and immediately went to treating the child.”
Officer Grace Cowan was the first officer on the scene and she neutralized the dog, Rodriguez said. She has been with the department for approximately 25 years.
“She has to be commended,” Rodriguez said. “She had the compassion to stay there the entire time with the mother and console her. The human aspect of this can’t be underscored enough.”
Rodriguez said that Cowan happened to be nearby and was at the scene in under a minute. Neighborhood services officer Bryan Gray arrived shortly thereafter and also helped provide medical care for the victim until EMS arrived.
Internal records and communications obtained by the Colorado Sun paint a harrowing picture of the dog’s behavior in the weeks leading up to the tragedy.
According to the Sun, staff at the Montrose Animal Shelter—where Boaz was held before being transferred to a rescue group—had become increasingly concerned about the dog. In early January, a shelter technician described the animal as “a monster” in a text message to a colleague, noting that he wanted to attack every dog that passed his kennel.
“It’s like we are waiting for an accident to happen to (have a) reason for euthanasia, and that’s not good, because someone or some dog may be injured or even dead,” the technician wrote in an email weeks before the fatal attack.
The Colorado Sun reports that Montrose city officials were prepared to euthanize Boaz due to his escalating aggression. However, the Montrose Bully Breed Club, a nonprofit rescue group, intervened. Boaz was transferred to the club on Jan. 9 under a contract that released the shelter of liability for any personal injuries.
The rescue group then placed Boaz in the Gunnison to foster. It remains unclear exactly what information regarding the dog's history was shared with the family before they brought the animal into their home.
The vice president of the Montrose Bully Breed Club told investigators that while the dog showed “assertive dog reactivity,” they were unaware of any aggressive behavior toward humans. According to the Sun, the club maintained that if they had known the dog was a threat to people, they would have proceeded with euthanasia.
Records show a complex history for the dog. While some shelter notes described him as a “cuddlebug” who was relaxed around children, other reports detailed a history of "resource guarding" and an incident where a volunteer fractured her wrist after Boaz lunged at another dog.
In the wake of the boy’s death, the Montrose Bully Breed Club announced it has relinquished its state license and will no longer facilitate dog adoptions or fostering.
This report contains information originally documented and reported by the Colorado Sun.
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