Posted on 12/08/2009 3:31:18 PM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour
A woman has filed suit against the Washington Park police officer who she says accidentally shot her in the leg.
Linda Hicks claims she called police to her house at 5731 Portland on Dec. 1, 2008, to request that her son be removed due to his disruptive behavior.
Responding to Hicks' request, defendant Washington Park police officer Donald Williams arrived at Hicks' residence where he arrested Hicks' son for an outstanding warrant, according to the complaint filed Nov. 30 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.
"As the officers were taking the plaintiff's son to the squad car, plaintiff's dog barked at Officer Williams," the suit states. "Apparently startled, Williams discharged his official firearm twice in the direction of the dog. The bullet or the ricochet of the bullet struck plaintiff in the leg."
Because of the incident, Hicks sustained temporary and permanent injuries, incurred medical costs and has been prevented from attending to her usual duties, the complaint says.
Hicks blames Williams for discharging his firearm contrary to policy, for discharging his firearm when he knew it would result in injury and for discharging his firearm in the absence of a threat to him.
The village of Washington Park is also named as a defendant because it is allegedly liable for Williams' actions.
In the two-count suit, Hicks seeks a judgment of more than $100,000, plus costs.
She will be represented by Philip B. Afeld and Lanny Darr of Schrempf, Kelly, Napp and Darr in Alton.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-639.
He didn’t just “miss” he endangered other people.
If I shoot at a dog and “miss” there had better be blood flowing or I’m going to jail.
I actually considered applying one time at the state level and am considering doing p/t as a sheriff’s deputy. I would make it a transition to full time if it wasn’t such a pay cut. I would only consider that line of work if involved helping people not collecting funds for BS municipal projects.
I’ve considered it way back when.
I used to respect cops as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FFlWGeb_aw
I bet it went down an awful lot like this.. Insane cops are out there killing dogs and a lot are on video. The need to be locked up the same as kids that tear up hamsters and so on as potential serial kilers.
Again, one has to ask, what is it with cops and this cold blooded killing of dogs?
It certainly seems to be something pathological in the LEO mindset.
I no longer respect cops because of their policy of shooting everyone’s dog. I wouldn’t call them to my place for any reason. It is no longer an isolated incident.
It makes me furious.
“It has been my experience, that the owners of unruly dogs are the problem, not the dogs. The bullet ended up where it belonged. Maybe she should be ordered to take the money she is awarded from her lawsuit and get some advice on how to keep her dogs in line.”
Just, Wow...a barking dog = an unruly dog and irresponsible dog owner (thus the bullet ended up were it belonged?) Considering there’s no mention of the dog attacking the officer—or even approaching him, I’d say you’re a little off base. The fact that the officer fired in the “direction” of the noise—and missed, indicates to me that the dog was never a threat, nor even close since he missed.
For all we know, the dog was properly leashed and possibly even restrained by the owner since she was the one struck by the bullet. Anyone who knows anything about firearms knows you don’t fire in the direction of an intended target; you fire at the target.
The dog barked, he didn’t attack. dogs bark, cat meow, cows say moo, pigs say oint....not the owners fault that a dog barked......even sweet innocent dogs bark...that doesn’t mean the owner should be shot...DOG DID NOT ATTACK unless I read the article wrong..bow wow....
The proper time to call the cops is to remove the dead body from your property, otherwise they are more apt to terrorize you! Reading the posts from the cops here on FR only re-enforces this belief.
You got to be shitting me. That kind of thinking gets people killed and in the real world, folks arrested. Only cops get away with this crap and you know it!
Bingo.
I sympathise with police officers, I truly do.
You never know what you’ll encounter when called out to someone’s house. And you’re correct that the language in the article comes from a lawsuit from the woman who was accidentally shot.
This past year in my town, a little three-year old toddler had half her face ripped off by her grandmother’s 7-year old male dog. It was an unprovoked attack by a beloved and well cared for pit bull (now deceased). Some dogs are by nature unpredictable.
I own a dog who is a barker. She’s not vicious but she is our watchdog. She barks whenever someone approaches or enters our property. This is necessary as we have been robbed, and a barking dog is a great deterrent. Four years old and a spayed English Springer Spaniel bitch, she has never bitten anyone and is quiet in public places, walking quietly on a leash as long as ignored; she does not like to be approached by strangers.
My biggest fear for her is that if an officer came to the door, my father, who has Alzheimers disease and thus very slow reflexes, may accidentally let her out the door and she will be shot.
But I do see your point of view, that more facts are warranted about this incident.
Well then, on the merit of your story, the plaintiff’s lawyer hasn’t distorted things at all.
The lot of you naziing on my comment have already put this cop in jail on the lawyer’s statement. You haven’t even seen a comment on the case from the police. This corruption of truth you are ready to convict the cop on is rife on BOTH sides of the law.
I was being sarcastic about the woman being hit by the careless shooting but I stand by my opinion, I see LOTS of dog problems, and they are stupid people problems, like from the same kind of people that raised their sons so well they need cops to drag them out of their houses.
Should I just toe the line with the rest of you, or can I put in my two cents?
Dogs probably barked at this cop on 6 of the 10 calls he had already seen on his shift, and he probably didn’t shoot at any of them. More than what the “suit” said is contained in the story.
“contained in the story”
Not as in the article, but in “the rest of the story”.
This cop made a career ending mistake. His motive is being interpreted by the judges on this thread with no evidence.
If and when the truth comes out, those dogs had better have been a threat, or the officer should face felony charges for everything being said on this thread. Until then, he is innocent until proven guilty.
The cop really blew it when he fired his weapon carelessly. He probably should consider a career outside of handling firearms.
So quick to judge my comment, which should have contained a sarcasm tag about the plaintiff being hit, but lax on the rest of the posters here who want blood after only seeing the plaintiff’s lawyer’s “suit”. And the part of the story the medium decided to present.
“The fact that the officer fired in the “direction” of the noise—and missed, indicates to me that the dog was never a threat, nor even close since he missed.”
The fact that the plaintiff needed the help of police to remove her unruly son from her house indicates to me that the woman never learned how to administer discipline, to her son or her dogs.
I wonder if we ever will know the full story...An attacking dog should be shot, a barking dog should not. It seems to be a lot of dog shootings by cops lately. Never use to be that way. But I have to wonder how a cop can shoot at a dog a hit a person unless the person was close enough to control the dog....they do have to pass firearms tests...It just doesn’t sound right to me right now..
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