Police shoot and kill pit bull

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (WSVN) -- A family is heartbroken after police said they were forced to shoot and kill their dog when it went on the attack.

The Williamson family has had several break-ins at their home and decided to train their pit bull Pup Pup to protect their property. "He was a very gentle dog. He wasn't overly aggressive, and he was a part of our family for many years," said Dog Owner Christine Williamson.

According to police, a few blocks away, a man was punched in the face by another man who stole his bicycle and took off. Police then entered through the Williamsons' backyard gate looking for the suspect when, they said, they were forced to shoot at the dog when it went after them. "The pit bull was in the middle of the yard, and the distance that they engaged the dog was too far to retreat back out of the fence before they were endangered by the dog," said Hollywood Police Sergeant Lester Cochenour. "The officer had to shoot the dog to protect themselves."

Antonio Williamson, who was at the home at the time, said Pup Pup was trained to protect his yard but believes there could have been a simple solution. "They should have knocked on my door first. That's obvious that they should have knocked on my door and asked to retrieve my dog," he said.

Police said they didn't have time to knock on the homeowner's door.

They were not able to find the suspect.

Officials are investigating the shooting.

(Copyright 2012 by Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)