BALTIMORE (WJZ)—A Baltimore City family is outraged after they say a Baltimore City cop shot and killed their beloved dog.

Rochelle Ritchie has more on why the dog became the target of police.

The family says police were chasing a suspect through their yard when the dog ran out of the home and started barking. They believe what happened next was because of a stereotype about pit bulls.

The Fields family now has a different idea of what it means to protect and serve after they say their dog Kincaid was shot several times by the gun of a Baltimore City cop.

“He wasn’t just our dog. He was our family,” said Stacey Fields, dog owner. “It’s a horrible thing seeing your dog that you love  laying on the ground dead and bloody.”

Fields says several officers were chasing a suspect through the alley when the suspect made a b-line for their yard.

Kincaid ran out of his home, barking into the backyard at the commotion.

“He was sitting on the porch. One cop was there and another was there, and the kid was in the basement,” Edward Augustine described.

The Fields family says the suspect ran down into their basement, and the cop was standing at the top of the steps with his gun drawn. They say before the suspect was placed in handcuffs, their dog was dead.

“He said ‘Get your dog, sir.’  I said ‘I got him.’ That officer turned for no reason and shot six times,” Augustine said.

Kincaid was shot three times, twice in the head.

His blood stains are still visible in the yard.

“He was just barking like ‘Hey, what are doing in my yard? Who are you?’” Fields said.

The family believes because of their dog’s breed, the 3-year-old pit bull mix was profiled as a vicious dog.

“If it was a Cockapoo or a Chihuahua it probably wouldn’t have happened,” Fields said.

A court ruling last summer went so far as to label pit bulls inherently dangerous.

The family doesn’t expect justice for Kincaid’s death. They only hope that a dog’s duty to protect and serve won’t end in what they call a senseless loss.

“If he had pulled his mace, Kincaid would still be here,” Fields said.

Baltimore City police say the dog was shot because he charged at the officers.

Maryland lawmakers will discuss the controversial decision to label pit bulls as inherently dangerous next session.