Posted on 01/06/2006 1:16:58 PM PST by MRMEAN
(CBS4) ENGLEWOOD, Colo. Pet owners in Englewood claimed police officers shot their dog for no reason.
Debbie and Mike Sullivan had their dog Josie for almost five years before a police officer shot and killed her at an apartment complex near Union and Detroit.
"She was the child we never had. We never had children," Debbie said. "I feel like I'm in shock."
Witnesses said the dog jumped on the officers in a friendly manner and startled them. The officers apparently interpreted the dog's behavior as aggressive and shot it three times.
"I said 'you come across big criminals everyday and you had to shoot a dog. You didn't even say stop or say ma'am control your dog or do anything,'" Debbie said. "He just turned around and just shot her three times."
The detective and his partner were at the Sullivan's apartment complex in the 4600 block of South Decatur investigating an unrelated car theft.
As they walked across the grounds, a neighbor knocked at the Sullivan's door. That's when Josie got loose.
"The dog made some aggressive barking, growling type moves toward the officer. I guess he thought that when an 80-pound dog comes running after you like that, he did what he thought was right," said Jim Ulrich, an Englewood police spokesperson.
"We were saying she's o.k., she's not going to hurt you," said Charles Mercer, a witness.
Mercer witnessed the shooting and said the dog wasn't growling or showing teeth.
"He reached into his pocket and had his gun and he pulled his gun out," Mercer said. "And she was still barking and he just went bam and then he shot her two more times."
Debbie said she tried to stop the bleeding.
"I had to take my coat and hold it. I didn't know if she was alive or not," Debbie said.
The detective involved in the shooting said he is a dog lover and he's having a hard time dealing with the shooting as well.
He said he kept trying to back away from the dog, but she kept growling, her ears went back and she jumped at him.
A spokesperson for the Englewood police department is defending the shooting saying the detective felt threatened by the dog and did what he felt was right.
The shooting will be reviewed by the department's critical incident review team.
The owner should be cited for her trouble.
Pit bull?
Josie? and the pussycats...
The dog wanted to be shot.
As a former LEO, and without some evidence of extenuating circumstances, I would say the officer was out of line.
While OC spray doesn't affect all dogs, it does deter most.
A witness to the shooting (Mercer) who is not a former owner of the dog corroborates the dog owners' accounts.
Unless the shooting officer can articulate why he feared for his life when a non-growling non-barking dog was deemed a threat to his life, he should be charged with animal cruelty and dismissed.
If I dog came at me aggressively, I would have no problem shooting it. I love dogs but you have to protect yourself.
"He said he kept trying to back away from the dog, but she kept growling, her ears went back and she jumped at him."
That's the cop's story. I think if that is what happened, he was totally justified.
As usual, the truth is probably hidden somewhere in between the two accounts.
"While OC spray doesn't affect all dogs, it does deter most."
Yep, I used to work at a bicycle shop that sold a brand of pepper-type spray that worked great.
There was an officer at my house the other day checking out my Fiero. My dog was not at all friendly to him at first but warmed up to him after a few minutes. Glad he didn't shoot my dog.
As with most of these stories, we don't have all the facts. My opinion is if (in case of a dog bite) the owner is subject to civil liabilty, then there should be some form of penalty if the "victim" is a LEO.
"Pit bull?"
Sounds like a bigger dog from reading the article. Pitbulls are not that big. Compared to a Lab or something.
One thing is for sure, any large dog barking in front of someone can be intimdating. I`d look for the tail wag, if it wasn`t wagging, shoot to kill......
Another thing that wasn`t mentioned is maybe the officer was very afraid of dogs. I had an incident at my house once where the police came, and one police officer wouldn`t get out of his car because my Alaskan Malamute was in the yard. It was almost comical.
I wonder if the officers involved got their training in Tennessee?
German Shepherd/Pointer/Lab mix.
Then the cops were out of line.
The dog kept approaching them most likely looking for a scratch behind the ears.
So the eyewitness is saying that the cop was carrying the gun in his pocket? I'd rate credibility about zero.
Since you are an ex cop, and give so much credence to the eyewitness, how many cops did you know who carried their gun in their pocket?
I guess the humor would have faded a little if the officer fired three rounds into your Malamute.
Okay rant time for me. It is not okay for the public to just go around shooting Innocent people's dogs. It's not okay for meter readers or postmen to shoot dogs. Unless the officer was serving a no knock warrant and actually being attacked by the dog, it's not okay to go around killing peoples beloved pets. If he is that afraid of non life threatening situations, he needs to find a line of work that he feels safer doing. I would suggest something that does not involve carrying a weapon. A certain responsibility comes with that.
Now time for me to rant.
Quote CD: "It is not okay for the public to just go around shooting Innocent people's dogs."
No its not, but that is not what happened here.
Quote CD : "It's not okay for meter readers or postmen to shoot dogs."
I guess your not a postman or meter reader. Have you ever been attacked by a strange dog? Or had one come up to you on the street and startle you? Owning a pet is a responsibilty. You have a right to own a pet if the city you live in allows, but you also must accept the responsibility to keep your pet from doing things that could put it in danger, or others in danger.
Quote CD: " Unless the officer was serving a no knock warrant and actually being attacked by the dog, it's not okay to go around killing peoples beloved pets."
This comment is insane. The officers were in a public place doing their job. A large dog got loose ( because of an irresponsible owner ), and runs out and is claimed to be acting in an aggressive manner. Everything in the article is speculative. But for you to condemn the actions of the officer just shows you do not care about the law, just your opinion. Did you even read the article? Or just the headline?
Quote CD: " If he is that afraid of non life threatening situations, he needs to find a line of work that he feels safer doing. I would suggest something that does not involve carrying a weapon. A certain responsibility comes with that."
Another silly comment......
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