[expat1000]

Suppose there had been a shooter back there and the police were distracted by the dog. Lives would be lost.

Your powers of observation are about as good as these cops. Read the article!! There was the big dog in the back yard, remember? - scary enough for these cops to think they had to kill it - what are the chances of your theoretical shooter being in the yard also?

[Salamander]

Maybe the mob of shooters were holding the dog hostage and they accidentally killed him when trying to take out all the shooters?

[bet that’ll be their cover story, soon...the dog was just in the line of fire]

[Jonty30]

Not stationary anyway.

Criminals know, if they run through a yard first, they will probably get through the yard unmolested.

But the cop following up will be the one attacked by the angry dog.

[spetznaz]

Powers of observation are not the only similarity he has with those cops. He also shares their intellectual acuity as well. Their ability to think and rationalize. Their IQ.