Anne Arundel County police say a 32-year-old man shot and killed a pit bull terrier to end a fight between the dog and another pit bull in a field near a residential neighborhood in Severn on Sunday morning.

A 4-year-old pit bull named Kayne and a 7-year-old named Gyno started to fight as their owners walked them about 11 a.m. in a field at the end of Stillmeadows Drive near Oriole Court.

As the dogs fought, the owner of Gyno ran home to alert his parents, according to police. Moments later, a man appeared with a semiautomatic handgun and fired one shot, striking Kayne in the torso, witnesses told investigators.

The dog later died at a local veterinarian office. No charges have been filed.

Police did not identify the man who fired the shot. They said they are still investigating the incident and whether the man had a permit for the gun.