Posted on 05/28/2005 12:34:03 PM PDT by ambrose
Cops shoot family dog
Family upset after incident in backyard
By Melissa Pinion-Whitt
Staff Writer
Thursday, May 26, 2005 - ONTARIO - A police officer investigating a fraud case shot and killed a dog in a residential backyard Wednesday.
The 6-year-old boxer named Rocky charged at the officer when he entered the backyard in the 900 block of West G Street around noon. Police were at the home to interview a man suspected of credit card fraud and walked into the backyard because they saw him and suspected he might try to flee.
"The officer felt the dog was going to attack him, so the officer shot the dog," said Ontario police Detective Al Parra. "The officer, in backing away, trips on something and falls down on his back. He sees the dog still coming, so he fires two more shots, which killed the dog."
Family members, who were devastated by the shooting, said the dog was just doing what he was trained to do: protect the property.
"He never bit anybody. He's never hurt anybody. All he's ever done is guard his home and protect his family," said Martin Pina, who lives at the home with his wife and five children.
Martin's daughter, Gloria, said the dog was always obedient and wouldn't even run away if the family accidentally left the gate open.
"It wasn't just a dog to us. He's one of us," she said.
Police came to the home looking for Gloria's brother, Mario Pina, 23. The officer heard loud music and saw the man in the backyard, where he was doing yard work. The officer shouted at him, and when Pina didn't respond, he entered the backyard, Parra said.
Pina was arrested on suspicion of fraud and burglary and was booked into West Valley Detention Center.
Parra said it is not common that officers shoot dogs, but it sometimes occurs during arrests.
"The officer has a right to protect himself. He has a right to use deadly force if he feels he's about to be attacked by an animal."
Martin Pina argued that police shouldn't have been in his backyard because they didn't have a warrant or authorization to be there.
Police said they don't need a warrant to go into someone's backyard if they are at a residence to make an arrest and see the person in the backyard. Officers need warrants to go into someone's home, Parra said.
The incident is being investigated as an officer-involved shooting. The officer, whose name was withheld pending the outcome of the case, was not placed on administrative leave, Parra said.
Melissa Pinion-Whitt can be reached by e-mail at m_pinion-whitt@dailybulletin.com or by phone at (909) 483-9378.
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
The operative word here is " Officer". They are charged by the state to persue suspected criminals. This guy was a suspected criminal just as much as if he had robbed a bank with a note. And because he is identified by his uniform and badge he can chase a suspect IN HIS OWN BACK YARD. Dog gets in the way of that duty pow.
There is no Constitutional or moral grounds for making any such distinction.
Okay let me see.... I will try to gather a little more info here.
Let's say you are a suspect in a crime ( INNOCENT OR GUILTY) and you are to be questioned by the police. The police approach your front door and you would kill them for being on your private property.
Would that include the UPS man?
The Fed Ex man>?
The next door neighbor bringing you a box of girl scout cookies?>
Where specifically is the line?
Also to kill buffalo that wander out of the slaughterhouse. Only took 120 shots. Sorry FRiend, all cops are not blessed with common sense.
Have you seen what a cow wandering on a highway can do to a passenger car that hits it at 75 mph? Public saftey issue. B
Hey, if every Barney Fife don't get his MP5 the terrorists win, doncha know? Pulling a trigger 120 times sounds like a disability claim to me.
The point I was trying to make is it went from an interview to being an arrest after shooting the dog. Smells of CYA to me.
And that's just the way it is?
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
By your logic the cop would have been justified shooting a 6 year-old child who waswalking toward him. This cop clearly wasn't qualified to handle the situation. Cop error in judgement is the most likely explanation
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
Conversely, can the cop shoot the dog while chasing the felon on to your property?
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
Cops completely, totally, 100% in the wrong on this one.
The suspect deserves damages. The cop deserves an a$$ kicking.
Conversely, can the cop shoot the dog while chasing the felon on to your property?
If he attacks the officer, what do you think the officer should do? Fall to his knees and prepare to die so your dog can eat him?
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
If he was approaching the rogue cop, it was almost certainly with intention of licking him.
Are you really unable to draw the distinction between a dog charging a fallen officer and a six year old child walking towards an officer? Maybe so. Well, rest assured that the VAST majority of the rest of the population, the cop in this story included, can.
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
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