Cops: Man Uses Child As Human Shield, Lets Dog Attack K-9

FORWARD TOWNSHIP (KDKA) – Champ is the 9-year-old pit bull that went after Elizabeth Borough K-9 officer Ryker.

He was taken by animal control after a domestic dispute that happened at a home on 12th Street in Forward Township early Sunday evening.  Ryker's police collar saved him from getting hurt.

"A lot of chaos going on so you never know how a dog is going to act," animal control officer Paul Christian said.

Christian is the animal control officer that took Champ away.

"At first, when we got to the house, he was leery about coming out. We got him outside. We put a leash on him and he jumped right in the vehicle. We brought him back. He didn't give us any problems," Christian said.

Police say Troy Wazny, 27, was at the home with his son when his ex-girlfriend, who's the mother of his child, came to pick him up per their custody order.  Police say the woman was covered in blood and had large lacerations on her after telling police Wazny slammed her hand and arm in the door.  But sources say she punched the glass and hit Wazny in the mouth causing him to bleed on the porch.  Forward Township police arrived with Elizabeth Borough as backup.  They say Wazny was combative and used his son as a barrier between himself and police then let Champ go after Ryker.

"I thought, 'What's going on now?' Usually this is a pretty quiet neighborhood and really wasn't expecting anything like that," neighbor Tom Konwick said.

Police say the woman ran to a home on Ferry Street for help.

KDKA's Amy Wadas caught up with Champ's owner when she came by the kennel to take him home.  She says Wazny had been drinking at her home when the domestic happened.

Sources say Wazny's son has been staying with the child's grandmother.  She filed a Protection from Abuse order against Wazny and his ex-girlfriend so she can get sole custody.

Wazny is behind bars at the Allegheny County Jail facing a list of charges, including aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person, public drunkenness and taunting a police animal.

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