WOMEN THANK `ANGEL WITH A GUN' FOR SLAYING PIT BULL.Byline: Lisa Van Proyen Daily News Staff Writer To many people, Rick Gonzales is a Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. police detective. But to 85-year-old Hazel Steers, he's an ``angel with a gun'' for saving her from a vicious pit bull attack last month. ``I don't think I'd be here if he hadn't driven by,'' Steers said Thursday, as she thanked Gonzales and presented him with a glossy ceramic gun attached to a plaque. The Panorama City woman and her daughter, Marti Brande, 43, also presented the Foothill Division homicide detective with their ``Attitude of Gratitude'' certificate of appreciation. ``This is to certify cer·ti·fy v. cer·ti·fied, cer·ti·fy·ing, cer·ti·fies v.tr. 1. a. To confirm formally as true, accurate, or genuine. b. that Detective Rick Gonzales (a k a: Angel with a gun) went beyond the call of duty,'' the certificate reads. Gonzales was entirely surprised by the visit and, flanked by two dozen of his colleagues, was left nearly speechless speech·less adj. 1. Lacking the faculty of speech. 2. Temporarily unable to speak, as through astonishment. 3. Refraining from speech; silent. 4. as he accepted the plaque and certificate. ``Oh boy!'' Gonzales said, as Steers hugged him. ``Thank you so much. You didn't have to do this. I'm just so glad I could help out.'' ``We call him an angel with a gun,'' Brande said. ``If he hadn't been on the wrong street at the right time, in five minutes or less, my mom would have been killed.'' The dog not only threatened Steers but brutally attacked her Shih Tzu Shih Tzu (shē dz  ), breed of active, alert toy dog originating in Tibet centuries ago. It stands from 8 to 11 in. (20.3–27.9 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 9 to 18 lb (4. dog before Gonzales shot the pit bull to death. The Shih Tzu, Jubilee jubilee (j`bĭlē), in the Bible, a year when alienated property and land were restored, slaves were manumitted, debts were forgiven, and a general sabbatical year was observed in , later died in surgery. On Wednesday, Steers and her daughter brought their new Shih Tzu puppy puppy the young of the canine species; usually used up to the age of 12 months. fading puppy syndrome see fading kitten/puppy syndrome. puppy pyoderma see impetigo. named Chin-Ke-Le to the Foothill Division. On March 23, Steers was walking Jubilee about a block away from her home when a pit bull darted down the street, Steers said. ``He pounced pounce 1 v. pounced, pounc·ing, pounc·es v.intr. 1. To spring or swoop with intent to seize someone or something: on her, and I was mesmerized. I didn't know what to do. Then Rick came by and he scared the dog away,'' Steers said. It was coincidence that Gonzales was in the neighborhood. ``I was taking my car to get it fixed. At the last minute, I decided to go this way,'' the detective said. As he drove past the the 9000 block of Wakefield Avenue, he saw the pit bull attacking Steer's dog. ``I just wanted the pit bull to run away. I yelled yell v. yelled, yell·ing, yells v.intr. To cry out loudly, as in pain, fright, surprise, or enthusiasm. v.tr. To utter or express with a loud cry. See Synonyms at shout. n. , hey, get away, and it stepped back a couple steps and then lunged at Hazel,'' he said. ``That's when I fired one shot.'' During the ordeal, Steers' dog bit her on her thumb as she tried to rescue her from the pit bull. Steers was treated at a hospital; her dog died two hours later. Despite an abundance of jokes by fellow homicide detectives who wore dog biscuits dog biscuits npl → biscuits mpl pour chien dog biscuits dog npl → Hundekuchen pl dog biscuits npl taped to their lapels and produced a six-pack lineup of dogs asking, ``which one did it?'' they said they really respect what Gonzales did. ``He definitely took quick action. I think he probably saved Hazel from serious injuries. We're really proud here about what he did,'' said Capt. Ken Garner, commanding officer of Foothill detectives. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Detective Rick Gonzales shows off the plaque Hazel Steers made to thank him for saving her from a rampaging pit bull in Pacoima. John McCoy/Daily News |
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