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Sources: Police Bullet Strikes Man During Brooklyn Drug Bust
Updated 08/08/2012 10:36 AM
By: NY1 News

Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting that left one man wounded following an alleged drug bust Tuesday, sources tell NY1.

It started when sources say an undercover officer bought heroin from three men during a sting operation at Broadway and DeKalb in Bushwick.

Officers arrested two of them without incident but a third ran into a building located at 68 Himrod Street.

That's where sources say officers came upon another man and two pit bulls, which lunged at the officers.

Officers opened fire on the dogs hitting one of them and injuring the owner who sources identify as James Earl Austin, 22.

They say he is not a suspect in the drug operation.

Most of the neighbors say the man had the dogs leashed when the gunfire erupted, although there is some discrepancy.

"When they jumped out the car, the dogs barked, period," said one neighbor. "The guy was trying to get his dogs and the police opened fire and shot him."

"They're puppies," said another. "They're not violent. If they don't know you, they'll bark to protect. But other than that, trying to hurt somebody, it's not, the dogs wouldn't hurt nobody."

Animal Care and Control told NY1 that they have a 1-year-old and 3-year-old dog in their custody.

NY1 is told the three suspects were arrested but there is no information on charges yet.

An investigation is ongoing.




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