Danville officer shoots and kills 12 pound dog; owners don’t know why
Alternative content
Danville officer shoots and kills 12 pound dog;...
A Danville Police Officer shoots and kills a 12 pound dog, and the owners don't understand why.Published: June 11, 2009
Updated: June 15, 2009
An 11-year-old Miniature Dachshund named “Killer” was a four legged member of the Harper family.
Sometimes he roamed a little past his yard, and Monday it got him killed.
“He says your dog was barking at me, and I had to shoot him,“ Angela Harper said.
“He was like I don’t care what kind of dog it is, so he said I shot him,“ Tawaiin Harper said.
The bullet casing, which still on the ground, is from a Danville police officer. The blood stain on the Harper’s neighbor’s steps is from Killer.
Danville police admit their officer shot and killed the dog after they say the dog attacked him while he was serving warrants in the neighborhood.
“To me it was a brutal killing,“ Tawaiin Harper said.
We spoke to many neighbors who say “Killer” sounds like a ferocious name, but they say he was a sweet, neighborhood dog.
The dog was shot in Ebony McNear’s front yard.
“It’s a loss to the neighborhood as well as the family,” McNear said. “I just don’t think him being shot was necessary.“
The owners agree.
“I did a lot of crying. I did a lot of crying about the situation just the way it happened,“ Tawaiin Harper said.
“Words can’t describe how he’ll be missed,“ Angela Harper said.
Killer’s collar is still hanging on a light post outside the Harper’s home. The 12 pound, family dog is gone, and the Harper’s just can’t understand why.
Late Wednesday afternoon WSLS 10 On Your Side received a statement from Danville police.
Here is the release:
On Monday evening at approximately 8:30PM, a Danville police officer attempted to serve two outstanding warrants on a resident in the 100 block of Berman Drive. The officer went to the door of the wanted person, but there was no answer and he left. As the officer was walking back to his police vehicle, he was surprised by a growling dog running through the yard directly at him from the rear, leaving him with just seconds to consider his options (run for the safety of the police vehicle, attempt to distract the dog from its attack, try to use pepper spray or baton, or use his firearm). As the dog lunged at the officer and attacked him, he was able to draw and fire his weapon once. The bullet struck and killed the dog.
The investigation revealed that the dog was named “Killer”, was a Dachshund, had displayed aggressive tendencies before to others, and belonged at the house next door to where the officer was attempting to serve the warrant.
The Danville Police Department realizes that the shooting of a small breed dog is unusual and will be the subject of much discussion in the community. Officers are constantly confronted by dogs because part of the job of being a police officer entails approaching homes, walking through yards, and climbing over fences. We successfully defuse these encounters on a daily basis without resorting to the use of a firearm. Members of the Department received training in 2006 sponsored by the Danville Humane Society and the American Humane Association and learned several techniques to defuse aggressive behavior in dogs. Unfortunately, as the training acknowledged, options are limited when dealing with a dog that is engaged in a running attack from the rear without warning.
Shooting a dog which is actively presenting a threat to an officer is within the department’s policy. An officer is not required to “take a bite” from any dog, including small breeds, because any breaking of the skin can transmit rabies. If the attacking dog cannot be identified and captured and quarantined after the attack, the officer must take a series of rabies vaccine shots. Rabies is a fatal disease that cannot be reversed. An infected person cannot wait and see if they have rabies and then take the shots.
In the few seconds before the attack, most officers will not decide to “take a bite” in the hopes that the dog can be identified, captured, and quarantined. It is unreasonable to expect an officer to factor into his decision making process during an attack the likelihood of a successful identification, capture, and quarantine after the attack.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
The shooting of “Killer” was one of the saddest stories that I’ve listened to on the news. I have a older dog whose bark is much louder than her bite. Probably like “Killer”. I think the officer’s actions were uncalled for and should be reprimanded. Was he afraid of the miniature Dachsund? It makes one wonder how he might react if a real “CRIME” took place….
This is totally unacceptable behavior! The miniature dog was 11 years old and I’m sure if he did actually bite someone…how bad could it have been?? Was the officer afraid of the dog? What if it had been a real criminal? Just because they wear badges doesn’t mean that they always use the best judgement or that they are ALWAYS right. And I might add that your area needs to find a new Humane Society Director.
the shooting of the dog was unfortunate but what was the dog doing running loose in the city in the first place(there is a leash law).
He could have just kicked the dog away from himself. Shooting the dog was not necessary, and it frightens me that the officer used such poor judgment.
I WASN’T THERE DURING THIS KILLING, BUT I WONDER IF THIS OFFICER HAS PETS OF HIS OWN? IT SOUNDS LIKE HE WAS “QUICK ON THE DRAW”. THANK GOD IT WASN’T A CHILD THAT “ATTACKED HIM”... I DO THINK THERE WAS A BETTER SOLUTION THAN SHOOTING THIS DOG.. BUT LIKE I SAID I WASN’T THERE. HE HAS THIS ON HIS MIND NOW AND HOPEFULLY WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT. ONE QUESTION TO HIM..
WHAT DO WE PEOPLE DO WHEN WE ARE ATTACKED BY LITTLE DOGS AND DO NOT CARRY A GUN??? LET HIM ANSWER THAT!!!
hmmm… UPS and FedEx drivers don’t carry guns.
Oh i forgot to ask, was this officer white or black? I think it might have been a hate crime….
and to the one that said pepper spray is not effective on dogs, if you hit a dog with PS it has a good chance that it will never smell again because it is so strong and hurts the dog so badly.
The spray that cops carry makes what the mail ups etc carry look like mints….go to www.galls.com and look at the pepper spray that they will NOT sell to you as a private citizen. Only law enforcment are allowed to carry that high of a dose pepper spray.
I really feel like this is wrong any way you look at it. First off what is a miniuture winnie dog gonna do? at most bite at your anckles? Any officer of the law that is that trigger happy should be looked at as a threat to the public. Further more how could A cheif of a police dept back up a trick like this if he wasn’t corrupt his self. Does this police dept. not know they carry pepper spray with them for just this sort of thing? Niether the cheif of police nor the Idiot that did this CRIME should reprosent any law enforcement ever again and should recieve a felony type charge for using such an extreme amount of poor judgment.
I cannot believe the Office shot this little dog over “supposedly” barking at him. It’s not like the little dog was going to tear his leg off or anything. I feel for the family.
This is a little Daschund, not a Rottweiler!! Come on, give a better excuse than that!
Advertisement