Woman charged with hitting CPD officer in West Garfield Park; other officers attacked by dogs

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A woman has been charged with slapping and kicking a police officer who was trying to make an arrest Sunday morning in West Garfield Park, before dogs began attacking police, injuring three officers.

According to a police report, plainclothes officers in an unmarked squad car were trying to make an arrest around 11:20 a.m. in the 4000 block of West Wilcox Avenue, when 31-year-old Vernia Jones "became aggressive" with the officers, pushing her in the chest, slapping her in the left side of the head, and kicking her in the left foot and shin.

During the incident, someone released "multiple dogs," who began attacking officers.

Police said the dogs bit the three officers. One officer shot one of the dogs. Three officers were taken to an area hospital in good condition. The condition of the dog is unknown.

Cell phone video provided by people who live in the neighborhood showed a couple of people in the alley. One person with two dogs could be seen walking across the alley. In the video, dogs can be heard barking and then gunshots can be heard. 

Brenda Cunningham said her daughter let her know her son was being arrested. She went outside to find out why and saw the officer shoot the dog.

"The dog wasn't trying to attack nobody," Cunningham said. "I'm not even going to lie. They wasn't trying to attack none of those officers. The officer fell on that ground and the officer came up with that gun. They had the dog on the side. So why would the man disarm his gun? You got people standing all outside. You could have hit anybody."

Jones was able to run away to the front of the home as the dogs were attacking the officers, but was arrested a short time later, according to a police report.

She has been charged with one felony count of aggravated battery to a police officer and two misdemeanor counts of resisting a police officer.

She was due to appear for a bond hearing Monday afternoon.