Man kills 2 roaming pit bulls in Magna

Two pit bulls were shot and killed on a Magna street after a man and a few neighbors felt threatened by the dogs that were roaming their neighborhood Thursday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, the man saw the dogs in his yard and they appeared aggressive so he quickly went into his house. After a little bit of time he got into his car to see if he could determine the dogs' owner, and while driving through his neighborhood he once again saw the dogs approaching a family near 8100 West and 3700 South. As the dogs continued barking and got closer to the family, who appeared to be worried for their safety, the man got out of his car and shot the two dogs with a .40-caliber pistol.

"The witnesses' stories were all the same, with the feeling that the dogs were aggressive, and they all felt there was a serious threat and they feared for their safety," Salt Lake County sheriff's deputy Levi Hughes said. "Our investigation has been completed, and it appears that he was justified in what he did so he was not charged with anything."

Hughes said the man does have a concealed weapons permit for the gun.

"We get these calls from time to time and it does not mean it is OK to harm animals, but several witnesses confirmed the man's statements and these people felt there was a serious threat," Hughes said.

Some area cities have considered adopting restrictions regarding specific breeds, most notably pit bulls and Rottweilers.

— Ethan Thomas