Cops Arrest Knife-Wielding Owner of Prospect Park Attack Dog

The owner of a pitbull that has been attacking dogs in Prospect Park for months was arrested Monday morning police said. 

Donnell Barden, 42, of Foster Avenue in Flatbush, was charged with aggravated animal cruelty, menacing and criminal possession of a weapon.

The arrest came after months of attacks by the dog, and by the owner, who would join in the fight with a knife of his own, witnesses said. 

In one attack, on May 17, a man was walking through the park with his dog, a Lab/Husky mix, when the dog was attacked by a pit bull. The owner caught up and then instead of pulling the dogs apart, he pulled out a weapon and joined in, stabbing the Lab/Husky nine times in the shoulder area.  

According to Barstad the weapon was an ice pick. The NYPD says it was a knife. 

According to cops, Barden threatened the Lab/Husky's owner with the knife when he tried to intervene. 

The friend filed a police report. A few weeks later, he saw the dog owner in the park and was able to point him out to cops. But the cops referred him to the 78th Precinct and did not pursue the owner. 

"For a couple months we'd call and try to get updates and it was just impossible to get in touch with anybody taking responsibility for this," Barstad said.  

That changed recently when a sergeant at the 78th precinct took over the investigation and gave his cell phone number to Barstad and his friends. 

On Friday, the Pit Bull attacked the dog of another friend, and Barstad and his friends created a warning flyer and posted it on Prospect Heights Patch as well as around the park.

Barden was arrested at 9:14 a.m. Monday morning on Foster Avenue near the corner of New York Avenue, police said. 

Police are investigating the possibility that Barden is connected to an August attack against a dog in Prospect Park.