PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – The dog at the center of a neighborhood dispute that left three people dead on Monday has been euthanized, police said.
The female mastiff named Roxy was surrendered to authorities in Port St. Lucie and euthanized on Wednesday, the Palm Beach Post reported.
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The dog's owner, Ronald Delserro, 82, is accused of fatally shooting Harper Hansman, 11, and her father, 55-year-old Guy Hansman, according to police. The dispute was apparently over tensions involving the dog.
Delserro, who lived next door to the Hansmans, died Monday after an exchange of gunfire with police and a St. Lucie County Sheriff’s deputy. A police officer was shot in the arm, and a bulletproof vest stopped a bullet to the chest.
On Tuesday, Sandra Delserro, 78, contacted animal control officials and said she wanted to surrender Roxy “as she was leaving town,” the Palm Beach Post reported.
She consented for the dog to be euthanized at a veterinary clinic Wednesday. Roxy’s body was taken to a cremation facility.
A police report showed that animal control went to the Hansman home March 4, after Guy Hansman’s wife, Monique Hansman, 53, said she was walking her son's poodle mix attacking her dog.
Monique Hansman said her dog was on a leash, but Roxy was not. She said when she tried to stop the fight, Roxy bit her. She was treated at a hospital. Her dog also had puncture wounds and was treated.
Monique Hansman said Harper witnessed the incident, the newspaper reported.
Officials told Ronald Delserro the dog would have to be quarantined until March 14. But on March 5, Monique Hansman told animal control workers Roxy was unsupervised and running around, the report said.
A “dangerous dog investigation” began March 8, and three days later officials told Monique Hansman and Sandra Delserro that Roxy would stay with animal control officials until the investigation finished.
The Delserros requested a hearing contesting the dangerous dog issue, and two days later Roxy was released to them,
Animal control was told of additional allegations involving Roxy on March 27 and March 30. The Delserros were issued a dangerous dog citation.
Monique Hansman and Harper testified at a June 24 hearing in which a special magistrate found Roxy was a “dangerous dog.” That designation requires several things, including issues relating to fencing, muzzling and sterilization.
Sandra Delserro signed dangerous dog documents on July 1, the paper reported. Her husband refused, and the shooting occurred five days later.