Posted on 04/17/2012 8:27:51 AM PDT by Timber Rattler
“I’m thinking that one of these days a cop will shoot the wrong dog. Just saying.”
When, not if, this happens will the homeowner/resident be able to claim self defense to the court? Let’s assume it happens in Texas.
What confusion? There was no reason for “confusion” at that house. All was quiet until the cop went onto the property with gun drawn and yelling. Like he couldn’t have knocked on the door like a civilized person or waited patiently until the owner came out and put the dog away. Geez, dogs bark. That’s what they do, especially if someone comes on the property yelling and threatening their owners.
Absolutely agree. We have a GSD... and his purpose (other than being a family loved pet) is one of protection. Unless a lot more is learned about this incident, the department owes the family a new dog IMHO.
Heh, the FR bootlicker brigade won’t show up on this thread. They’ll be whining to each other deep down on some off-topic thread or hiding out in Bloggers and Personal.
“Confusion reigned in this one. 911 caller got info wrong, dispatcher didn’t get/give description of alleged perp. Cop yells conflicting commands - “Put your hands up; get your dog”. Dog owner, looking down barrel of cop’s gun, is confused by commands, doesn’t grab dog in 1-2 seconds allowed before cop shoots.”
Reminds me of that scene from the movie, “Raising Arizona.”
(Gale and Evelle Snoats go into a bank to rob it and draw their guns.)
Gale: All right, ya hayseeds, it’s a stick-up. Everybody freeze. Everybody down on the ground.
Feisty Hayseed: Well, which is it, young feller? You want I should freeze or get down on the ground? Mean to say, if’n I freeze, I can’t rightly drop. And if’n I drop, I’m a-gonna be in motion. You see...
Gale: Shut up!
Feisty Hayseed: Okay then.
Gale: Everybody down on the ground!
Evelle: Y’all can just forget that part about freezin’ now.
Gale: Better still to get down there.
Evelle: Yeah, y’all hear that, don’t ya?
[Everybody lays down. Gale looks at the now-empty teller windows]
Gale: S%$t! Where’d all the tellers go?
Teller’s voices: We’re down here, sir.
Evelle: They’re on the floor as you commanded, Gale.
I think he was being sarcastic!
Does the cop look like Obama’s son? Did the cop say before shooting the dog, “This one’s for Trayvon!”?
I didn't write the "confusion reigned" comment, that was a comment upthread from Paine in the Neck, not sam_paine, (the other pain in the neck.)
But you know the answer to your question. There is confusion at that house because the resident assumed he was a free citizen and the cop assumes he's the ultimate dictator on a power trip. Hence the confusion.
“... being sarcastic”
I hope so. The image in my mind of cops shooting dogs at the pound completely freaked me out.
It seems to me, more cops should be taking “sensitivity training,” rather than using their idiotic fear of everything to govern and justify shooting at anything that moves.
The bestids.
Unfortunately us guys can say some off-the-wall, crass, crude, and rude things that can really chap the hides of other FReepers.
Owning a dog is a bit of an insurance policy against being shot by police. Police everywhere are developing or have developed the expectation that if they are called to any sort of disturbance at a home they are entitled to fire their weapons at some living creature. A dog is the designated first choice of target and the only legitimate target if the citizens at the call are unarmed. If there is no dog, however...Very, very sick. Sick and sad.
If true.
And most likely... true.
There is confusion at that house because the resident assumed he was a free citizen and the cop assumes he's the ultimate dictator on a power trip. Hence the confusion.Yup.
Listen to the dialog. After the shot, the cop is basically yelling at the guy for not doing the right thing when some stranger (albeit in uniform) rushes onto to his property, gun drawn, excitedly issuing contradictory orders to a free citizen on his own private property.
Listen to how the cop tries to turn it around like why didn't the citizen do this or that differently.
My little Yorkie would run to the officer to kiss him - I guess he would shoot her, too, like maybe she might kiss him to death? She loves everybody.
In an urban or village setting, I believe that every dog-owner should be required to train his/her/their dog to instantly obey the command to "heel," as well as never to advance on another human without a direct order. And I believe if that animal can not be thus trained, or if the owner will not train it, that animal should be summarily put down.
If such a dog animal attacks me while I am on publicly-accessible property, I will kill it, if it is not under your control and you will not or cannot control it. And if you unlawfully, emotionally, and irrationally try to come for me to "get even" for doing that, I will likewise treat you as an even greater danger, man or woman.
I expect an officer of the law to do likewise, and you ought to respect his person and authority likewise. In this case under discussion, whether the LEO was mistaken in the address or not, if the owner did not, would not, or could not control his animal with intent to harm the officer, the animal should be put down. I further contend that the owner ought to be arrested as possessing a deadly weapon with intent to use.
That said, all rural environments are a completely different issue. Rural property should be treated with great respect as regarding privacy and trespassing, and its animal inhabitants likewise.
I am not at all sympathetic with a dog-owner who will not train his/her "pet" (to him/her but not to others); and who is so emotionally involved with the object of affection that he loses the sense of proportion that it is an animal.
I believe he that allows his/her sense of responsibility to place its welfare of any dog above that of a law-abiding citizen (let alone that of a LEO performing his duties), himself needs firm discipline.
The LEO responded to the call, and instead of knocking on the poor guy's front door like he should have, he walked around back into the yard, startled both the guy and his dog, and then started shooting. After killing the dog and threatening the guy, it suddenly dawns on the LEO that he may have the wrong address and he then panics----"Do you have a girl friend?!?!?!?"
After the coming to the ugly realization that he has screwed up big time, the LEO then tries to cover his arse, first by berating the homeowner about leashes and "controlling your dog," and then accusing the dog of threatening him. The LEO then tried to lie about it when his buddy arrived on the scene. I would like to see the rest of the cam footage to see what was said once the supervisor finally arrived.
Yeah, this story needed to go viral and the Austin police department deserves every bit of criticism that is being heaped upon it this week.
Dogs don't shoot back.
You gotta be kidding!!! Did you even watch the camvideo of the incident?
I further contend that the owner ought to be arrested as possessing a deadly weapon with intent to use.
Are you crazy???
I think this officer should be shot for stupidity. The dog was on the owner’s property not in the public right of way. Take your boot licking holier than thou bs somewhere else. The cop was wrong and you are wrong.
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