AR-News: (RI - US) Another dog shooting by trigger-happy cop

[Snugglezzz at aol.com]

Family Members Say Officer Shot Their Dog
Police: Officer Felt Threatened

POSTED: 6:31 pm EST March 15, 2004
UPDATED: 10:15 pm EST March 15, 2004

Members of a Pawtucket family said Monday that there was no reason for a police officer to shoot their pet dog inside their home.

News Channel 10's Ted Daniel reported that Pawtucket police went to a home on Lyon Street just before noon to look for a man wanted on outstanding warrants. They asked the couple who lives in the house if they could go inside. The couple agreed, but asked if they could put their dogs away first because, according to the police report, they said one dog might bite them.

 

While searching the home, a 13-year-old mixed breed named Roxanne was let out of the bedroom where she was being kept. The dog went into the living room, where one of the officers was standing. Police said the officer felt threatened, so he shot the dog twice in the head.

The family said the dog that the officer shot never bit anyone and was walking around the house for several minutes before she was killed.

"All of a sudden, he pulled out the gun and he hit her blank, and the dog didn't even attack him," said John Russell, the dog's owner.

The family said the police apologized several times for shooting the dog and offered to pay to have the dog buried.

A police representative told News Channel 10 that the shooting appeared to be justified because the officer thought he was going to be attacked. Daniel reported that the shooting will be reviewed by the police department. 
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