I'd say that's inconclusive at best from the video. If you had the gun, and the dog (a pit bull/boxer mix) was running at you barking, what would you do? Negotiating with a dog usually doesn't work very well, especially after it's latched onto your leg.
I don't think it's okay for cops or anyone else to shoot an innocent dog. I do think that this whole thing was handled wrong from start to finish, to put it mildly. The worst thing is the treatment of the family. Until we have cops that are paid a decent wage out there, we will continue to have incidents like this.
No, it isn't inconclusive, in the least. It's very clear the dog wasn't attacking. What isn't clear from the clip is what kind of dog this was. It's a moot question, anyway. The truth is this yahoo had three seconds to panic. He could've been shooting at a pug, for all he cared or could even tell.
I don't think it's okay for cops or anyone else to shoot an innocent dog.
That's not what you implied, but we are not in disagreement, here. "If a dog happens to be a pitbull it's guilty regardless", is what I took from your post. If you've changed your mind, good. If not, I won't respond to you anymore.
The worst thing is the treatment of the family.
Yes, it was horrible, especially for the kids. You know what? The worst thing that happened to this family was seeing their dog's head blown clean off. Don't watch the video; listen to the pain and anguish of these people when they realize their dog had been killed. You'll see what I mean.
Until we have cops that are paid a decent wage out there, we will continue to have incidents like this.
I don't think money is a factor, here. There's quite a few fine cops where I live, and some very bad ones. The bad ones aren't paid any less than the good ones. Until we value common sense and decency over procedure and butt-covering, we will continue to have more incidents not only like this, but where humans beings continue to be killed as well.
Your question "what would you do," in a situation as you described it? Well, I'm not a cop...but, about a month ago I stopped to pick up two mixed breed dogs running in the middle of a street. They were very close to getting hit by a car. They came running up to me, wagging their tails and smiling. I didn't shoot them, but then I didn't have a gun nor do I have any training in "proper procedure."
I thought the stop was handled pretty well considering it was a felony stop for suspected robbery. The time it started to go bad was when the one cop looked in the car and asked what kind of dog it was. I think he shined his light in which probably stirred up the dog. The other cops ignored him but the owner asked to have the door shut.
Once the dog was out it was toast. The officers clearly felt it was a threat and acted accordingly. Not wrong, just tragic for the watching family.
After the family was cleared there were no apologies and the family had to pick up the pieces themselves. That's just wrong.