Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Star, Pit Bull Shot By Police, Loses Eye & Hearing, But Able To Play
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Aug 30, 2012
Modified Aug 30, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Animal Care & Control
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Aug 30, 2012
Modified Aug 30, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Star, the pit bull mix shot by police in broad daylight nearly three weeks ago, is being released into the NYC Mayor's Alliance shelter system today. "She had surgery earlier this week to remove her left eye, which had not improved in recent days," Richard Gentles, a spokesman for the Animal Care & Control said in an email. "She suffered a significant degree of hearing loss, but her hearing is coming back and the vision in her right eye also seems to be improving." Gentles adds that Star is "able to walk, play with toys, and eat on her own."
Metallic fragments were lodged around Star's left eye, which necessitated its removal, Gentles said. Additionally, she suffered "soft tissue, bone, head trauma, and eye damage as a result of her wounds."
(AC&C)
Star's owner, identified by the Local East Village as Lech Stankiewicz, never returned to pick her up. Star and Stankiewicz were known to sit near the KFC on 14th Street at 3rd Avenue, which is where Star was shot by police after she nipped at a woman and began running towards an officer (you can see graphic video of that shooting here).
Last week the Daily News reported that Star had attacked a woman several months ago, an incident that required her to receive stitches.
We've asked Steve Gruber, the director of communications for the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, if Star has been or will be evaluated for aggressive behavior that may affect her potential adoption. We'll update when we receive an answer.
Tagged
Animal care & control
east village
Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals
nypd shooting
pit bull
star
star the pit bull
original
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Several arrested in wake of ICE protest where Manhattan man was shot in the neck
Oscar Belgal was in his car with his 5-year-old when ICE agents fired seven shots into the vehicle.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Oct 9, 2026 at 7:24 a.m. ET
Bronx homeowners facing foreclosure are in the market for assistance
Some are looking for information and legal guidance, but also help clearing worrisome balances.
By
Willow Higgins
News
Bronx homeowners facing foreclosure are in the market for assistance
Some are looking for information and legal guidance, but also help clearing worrisome balances.
By
Willow Higgins
Cornell students warned of fraternity 'rape culture' years before Jane Doe case
By
Walter Wuthmann
ICE agent fires 7 rounds, shoots man in neck in NYC's Marble Hill, NYPD says
By
Giulia Heyward
and
Arya Sundaram
Lazy drivers in Prospect Heights lose chance for 1 less day of alternate-side parking
By
Liam Quigley
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .