Yolo County Sheriff's Deputies Shoot, Kill 2 Pit Bulls During Probation Search

WOODLAND (CBS13) – Yolo County sheriff's deputies say they were forced to shoot and kill two dogs on Monday during a probation search at a home in Woodland.

Several deputies entered a home on Antelope Street in Woodland just before 9:30 Monday morning looking for a probation suspect.

Deputes found 46-year-old Carol Vitalie and 43-year-old Vincent Van Asperson inside the home but could not complete their search because three pit bulls were inside one of the bedrooms.

Yolo County Animal Control Officers were called to remove the dogs. However, while an animal control officer was removing one of the dogs, another dog came charging out of the bedroom. A deputy used a stun gun on the dog. However, the third pit bull also ran out of the room and tore the electrical wires from the gun's barbs.

Sheriff's deputies say they were defending themselves after the pit bulls charged at them inside this house.
But the owner says they had no business in this house in the first place.

"This is where my male shot blood out and I guess they nailed my other one coming down the hallway," Teresa Niesen's said.

There's a blood stain on the carpet where Niesen's blue pit bull named Spike was shot and killed by Yolo County sheriff's deputies Monday morning.

Her other dog Sassy was killed too.

Teresa had two friends spending the night when deputies came into the home looking for a possible burglary suspect.

"Just cut loose, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop," one of the house guests said of the bullets. "I picked my legs up as fast as I could because bullets were flying and, yeah, I was freaked out."

The suspect was on probation so police could search the home without a warrant. Teresa says she knows him, but he's never lived here.

When no one answered, Teresa says they went in and didn't find the suspect but Teresa's three pit bulls.

"They broke in, that's not cool," she said. "What do they expect? The dogs are here for protection anyway, but I know my dogs aren't violent."

As animal control was trying to remove one of the dogs, deputies say another one charged at them.
When they tried to use a stun gun on it, deputies say a second pit jumped in front and ate away at the gun's wires.

Deputies opened fire, killing the two dogs.

Teresa's other six dogs, found in the backyard, were all taken to Yolo County Animal Shelter. None of the dogs was properly licensed, animal control said.

Vitalie and Van Asperson were arrested for drug paraphernalia. Shane Edgington, the subject of the probation search, was not found in the home.