Chicago Police Officer, Pit Bull Owner Sued Over Pomeranian's Montrose Dog Beach Mauling

A Chicago police officer is being sued over allegations that he failed to intervene in his pit bull dog's vicious mauling of a pomeranian at Chicago's Montrose Dog Beach earlier this year.

Audrey Fisher, the pomeranian's owner, has filed a lawsuit seeking $250,000 in damages from Matthew Bracken, the Chicago police officer who was off-duty when his pit bull killed Fisher's pet, named Willy, during a March 17 altercation, CBS Chicago reports.

Manotti Jenkins, Fisher's attorney, claims that Bracken yelled at a witness who attempted to stop the attack between the two dogs, according to the station.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Bracken refused to reveal his identity to her or give her any contact information following the attack.

Willy died three days after the attack and Fisher was left with a $5,800 vet bill. Fisher was only able to identify and track down Bracken because of a post to the Montrose Dog Beach forum MonDog, which included a photo a bystander snapped of the offending dog and its owner.

"All this time police have been helping me search for a police officer?" Fisher said after learning the pit bull owner's identity in April. "Someone who showed no remorse at all, broke the law, refused to ID himself to a park full of witnesses, then lied to a 12-year-old child that he would come to the vet to see about her dying dog?"

The officer, a five-year veteran of the force, was cited for failing to report the incident within 24 hours and was relieved of his police powers while an investigation into his conduct continues. His current status with the force is unknown.

Fisher and her family is seeking to recover their vet costs, plus additional damages for "emotional distress and pain and suffering," the Tribune reports.

Watch an earlier report on the pomeranian's mauling: