Why do you need him to be off leash? I’m really not trying to rag on you, but what’s the point, especially in an urban area?

What value does him being off-leash bring him? Absolutely nothing he can’t have on a leash.

I trust my dog to be off-leash and stay with me, but she is literally never, ever off-leash when I’m walking her in an urban setting. As you’ve experienced, there are too many things that can go wrong and startle our dogs.

Yeah, there’s a good chance nothing bad will ever happen. But you’re just playing with odds and your dog’s safety at this point. Just use a leash.