While responding to a possible child welfare issue a Cobb police officer discharged a firearm at an attacking dog and accidentally shot his partner.

The public information release from Sgt. Wayne Delk of the Cobb County Police Department describes the incident as follows:

A Cobb County Police Officer received a gunshot wound to the hand during a call at 5765 Maxham Road in Austell. At approximately 12:42 p.m. Cobb County 9-1-1 received a call to check on the welfare of a child believed to be living in a shack behind this address.

Two officers arrived shortly before 1 p.m. and were checking when one officer was attacked by a dog.

The second officer fired his handgun and struck the attacking dog but one round struck the first officer in the hand as well. The officer was transported to a local hospital for treatment of the non-life threatening gunshot wound and dog bites. The dog was picked up by Cobb County Police Animal Control. The status of the dog is not known at this time.