Cops Shot at Retreating Arthritic Dog Toward House Filled with Children: Business as Usual

reason.com ^ | Jun. 27, 2014 | Brian Doherty

[HammerT]

More in contemporary policing practice keeping you and yours safe and sound, out of Mason County, West Virginia, reported in the Charleston Daily Mail:It starts with a bunch of police cars chasing a suspect in a car down a not-much-traveled rural road. A family dog goes to investigate when eight police officers and their dog in tactical gear emerge from the woods near the Sweat family home.

Then:

[Ginger Sweat's] 6-year-old Basset hound/beagle mix, Willy Pete, left the porch and made his way toward the troopers. The dog, she said, suffered from arthritis in his back legs and was not aggressive...

Sweat said she was still inside when she saw the trooper raise a weapon at her dog.

“I ran out my door, jumping up and down screaming ‘don’t shoot my dog, he won’t bite, just let me get him in the house,’” she said.

She said the officer fired one shot toward the dog but missed. She said Willy Pete turned tail and was running back toward her.

“He ran towards me with desperation in his eyes,” she said. “They fired again in my direction. In the direction of my home where my kids were.”

She said three more shots were fired, a total of four shots. Willy Pete, she said, was hit three times. The dog went to the back of the mobile home. Sweat said she found the dog near the air conditioning unit.

“I watched my dog struggle and then die,” she said. “I collapsed in a puddle in the floor, screaming and crying.”

[Robert Teesdale]

They are no longer peace officers. They are no longer even law enforcement officers. They are now government enforcement officers without regard to either peace or law.

Calling them "officers" is now an offensive insult to gentlemen everywhere.

They are thugs.

[Robert Teesdale]

There is simply no justification for this. I cannot possibly understand the depths of hatred, cruelty and hubris within the souls of these cops.

It's not hate, cruelty or hubris. It's simply that we now have an MRAP-equipped employment service for your local Vasili Blockhins.

And until they become personally liable for these obviously criminal acts, this evil will continue.

Until the Leviathan is ended, you'll have more of it:

"The room was specially designed with padded walls for soundproofing, a sloping concrete floor with a drain and hose, and a log wall for the prisoners to stand against. Blokhin would stand waiting behind the door in his executioner garb: a leather butcher's apron, leather hat, and shoulder-length leather gloves. Then, without a hearing, the reading of a sentence or any other formalities, each prisoner was brought in and restrained by guards while Blokhin shot him once in the base of the skull with a German Walther Model 2 .25 ACP pistol."

I doubt the gunman in this case felt anything at all when he shot the Pole (excuse me, the Dog).

[Robert Teesdale]

That and there isn’t anything on this planet more dangerous than a pissed off cop.

I beg to differ.

[heartwood]

If the finest police force in the country is searching my woods for a guy who took a shot at his wife, I will have the children and dogs inside because of the bad guy, not because of the police.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I have to tell you if it was me they might have faced returning fire. I am a maniac about my dogs. I’d be in prison for murder. One of these days its going to happen.

[Robert Teesdale]

Ping.

If you can stomach it.

[Ken H]

Another pic.

Willy Pete

[Altariel]

I can’t imagine the government employee (read: constable) shooting dog scenario happening more than once in the 1770s.

Just saying.

[PapaBear3625]

There must be problems with psychological evaluations in todays Police academy's. They are failing to weed out the Sociopaths.

I suspect they are deliberately selecting FOR sociopaths -- cops who will not hesitate to follow orders, no matter what those orders are, in order to keep collecting a paycheck.

[jagusafr]

Sounds like a military family.

[Dick Bachert]

I guess it’s cool for some of these badge wearing assholes to get some target practice at a living, moving target and not have to fill out that stupid paperwork.

Way too much of this going on around the country. GD it. This has gotta stop!

Since it IS West By God Virginny, perhaps this cretin posing as a LEO will have an “unfortunate accident” up in one a them thar hollers.

[Boogieman]

I’m trying real hard to think of a reason why I shouldn’t start finding ways to make cops’ lives a living hell. Someone please help me out here.

[glasseye]

“Terrible story. How was Willy Pete a threat when he was running away from them? Sounds like WIlly Pete was shot in the back.”

Obviously the dog was trying to ‘escape’.

At least they all got home safely...

[HammerT]

But if you don’t know they are out there?

Whose fault is it then?

[HammerT]

Don’t they also carry pepper spray or mace?

Just what is wrong with less lethal options?

[TalBlack]

“Almost justification for returning fire. It’s getting crazy out there.”

Almost?

[SkyDancer]

That cop should be dragged through the street naked behind his cop car. But then, I’m being too kind.

[Texas Songwriter]

I think these cop bastards are in a continuous sub threshold toxic steroid rage and want to shoot their gun, or kill something.. Most of the police forces have gymnasiums and I see cops that are bulked up on steroids. Intrinsic to steroids are the side-effects, one being rage. i know of one cop who has killed 3 dogs, on inside the house of a person which was not the home of a perp he was trying to take down. The other two may have needed killing.....they were mauling a calf of a person who called for help. This same officer has also discharged his weapon 5 times in about 5 years. He also brags about taxing a person, hitting them in the eyeball......all told in a manner to be funny. It is not funny to get impailed by a needle in the eyeball.

[Texas Songwriter]

I think these cop bastards are in a continuous sub threshold toxic steroid rage and want to shoot their gun, or kill something.. Most of the police forces have gymnasiums and I see cops that are bulked up on steroids. Intrinsic to steroids are the side-effects, one being rage. I know of one cop who has killed 3 dogs, one inside the house of a person which was not the home of a perp he was trying to take down. The other two may have needed killing.....they were mauling a calf of a person who called for help. This same officer has also discharged his weapon 5 times in about 5 years. He also brags about tasing a person, hitting him in the eyeball......all told in a manner to be funny. It is not funny to get impailed by a needle in the eyeball.

[RetiredTexasVet]

Probably, but when they get their “killing outfits” on non-lethal and sanity no longer prevail....it’s that killing blood rush.