Police kill dog that allegedly bit 2 lawmen

A dog that reportedly bit a policeman during a domestic battery investigation last year was shot dead Wednesday night by a detective during a drug raid at the same house, according to Key West police reports.

Buddie, a 5-year-old pit bull terrier mix, was shot in the head by Detective Michael Chaustit, who reportedly fired one bullet from his .45-caliber service handgun while the dog's mouth was clamped down on his left hand -- requiring three stitches at Lower Keys Medical Center. A veterinarian euthanized the dog at the scene about an hour laterreports say.

During a 9 p.m. raid at 1015 South St., Chaustit and federal agents went to a room where they reportedly heard a dog barking and a man's voice. When Chaustit opened the door -- the tenant alleges they kicked it down -- the dog charged at him, reports say. Chaustit reportedly took several steps back and made room for the dog to escape, but the dog "did not use the open path of escape" and jumped and bit his hand instead.

Fearing further bodily harm, Chaustit said he placed his Glock handgun against the dog's head and fired one round, causing the dog to drop to the floor.

The raid turned up no arrests and only a small amount of marijuana -- 1.2 grams, or about a joint's worth -- as well as two pipes, a grinder, a scale and some baggies containing marijuana residue, reports say.

Tenant and dog owner Aaron Paul Strickland, 28, was given a notice to appear in court for possession of drug paraphernalia, and his roommate, David Tuten, 22, was cited for possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The raid was conducted by members of the city's Special Operations Unit, federal Drug Enforcement Agency and federal Homeland Security Investigations. The city's unit regularly works alongside federal agents in drug investigations, city/police spokeswoman Alyson Crean said.

The same dog bit Officer Curtiss Richardson in the forearm in August while officers were investigating a possible domestic disturbance at the same house, reports say. Richardson attempted to use his Taser on the dog when it jumped and bit him, causing the Taser prongs to miss the dog and hit Richardson's own leg, reports say.

Strickland was arrested in that incident and charged with two felony counts of battery on a police officer and obstructing an officer. He is currently on probation, he said.

The incidents in August and on Wednesday have left Strickland frustrated, he said. He claims he does not do drugs and that police lacked probable cause to raid his house, much less kill his dog.

Strickland lives with five other roommates and was not home when the raid occurred Wednesday. When he arrived and police informed him why they were there, he said he was comfortable that there were no drugs in the house, though he added he couldn't fully account for his roommates' possessions.

Strickland claims none of the marijuana or paraphernalia were found in his room or in his possession.

"They said they found weed in our trash," Strickland said, adding it couldn't have been much, because he lives in the house and would be aware of drug activity.

Instead, Strickland said he feels he's become a victim of police harassment. He added that police knew his dog was in the house, from their first incident in August and by their own admission when they heard the dog barking Wednesday night.

"A judge found enough probable cause to issue a search warrant," Crean countered. "Our detectives took their suspicions to a judge and she [county Judge Peary Fowler] found sufficient reason to issue the warrant."

You can’t smoke the stems and seeds.

We did when I was a kid.

Stems and seeds were in the cheap dope. Stems were chopped up and mixed in with leaves.

The problem with the seeds was that they would pop. So you generally would only want to smoke them in a pipe.

The article also mentioned a grinder so they could be grinding stems which would make stems more easily smoked.

I have been reading the posts on here and have come to realize theres alot of idiots with access to computers. First things first. My daughter was raised around Buddie for over a year and he was never aggressive towards her. Half the time you could find him laying on the floor below where she slept on the couch. He was a kind and loving member of the family. I dont call him a dog because he was more then that. As far as the police go. If you find weed in the garbage which is outside on the curb (im assuming because even under there carport its still considered private property) there was nothing to say it wasnt dropped there by someone else who might have been walking and an officer came up on them. (I know stretching a bit but it is possible). They knew the dog was there from the first encounter and so they should of had an animal control officer on site. Also if a dog is gonna be “biting off your hand” and you have enough time to grab your gun and put it to his head before pulling the trigger you will need way more then three stitches. Specially a dog Buddies size. If Buddie grabbed ahold of the cops hand with his teeth the officer would have been pulled to the ground which would have involved tearing of skin. Buddie was not a small dog. Most places I know of if the cops have reason to believe there are drugs in a home they will do surveillance so that they can make sure there is enough evidence to warrant there time and money spent. (Sorry if I am poking holes in all your ideas people. Its what I am good at). As far as the first officer tasing himself. Hmmmm doesnt that sound like he was chicken shit? All this was was retribution for the cop making himself look like an idiot. Even if Buddie did get aggressive with the officers he was doing what all dogs are ingrained to do which is to protect there home and master from aggressive people. Also the comment about it being seeds and stems. If it was seeds and stems it would have been all thru the garbage not bagged up. Most pot heads I know (myself being an ex smoker)dont rebag there seeds and stems. They just throw em away.

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