News Home » World » Met Police shoot dead two dogs and Taser man in Poplar

Around the World

Met Police shoot dead two dogs and Taser man in Poplar

The Trade Book 49 May 8, 2023
Street View image of the canal and footpath where the incident took place on Limehouse Cut.Image source, Google
Image caption,
The Met said police "have a duty to act where necessary before any further injury is caused"

The Metropolitan Police has defended its handling of an incident in which two dogs were shot dead and a man was Tasered.

The force said it was called just after 17:00 BST on Sunday to a woman being attacked by a dog in Commercial Road, east London.

Footage on social media showed a man holding two dogs on nearby Limehouse Cut before he was Tasered and the dogs shot.

The Met said a man has been arrested.

One video showed a group of officers holding a catcher pole, riot shield and gun approaching the man and the dogs as he appears to walk away from them.

The police can be heard trying to persuade the man to surrender the dogs. The situation appears to become increasingly heated before the two dogs were shot.

In a statement, a Met spokesperson said: "Officers attended the location where the aggressive behaviour of two dogs was of considerable concern and posed a significant threat to them.

"A man was arrested in connection with the incident for having a dog dangerously out of control and assault offences. He has been taken into police custody."

The statement added a Taser was discharged during the incident and both dogs "were destroyed by police at the scene" but no-one was taken to hospital.

"This is never an easy decision for any officer to take, but police have a duty to act where necessary before any further injury is caused," the statement continued.

The Met's directorate of professional standards will review the circumstances of the incident, the force added.

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.