This is the second time in as many days that this blog has reported a story like this.
The first was from Ohio, where two big Blue Ash Police Department officers tasered, then shot and killed a five-pound dog that they said was "threatening" them.
Now comes word that the same thing has happened just across the state line from here in Danville, Virginia.
On the left is a photo of Killer, who had been an 11-year old miniature dachshund weighing about 12 pounds. He was regarded as a "friendly, friendly" dog that was not only a companion to the Harper family that owned him, but well liked throughout the neighborhood.
On Monday night a Danville Police Department officer - and I will gladly post the name and home address of this bastard who has no business with a badge if someone will provide it to me - shot Killer dead while at the adjacent property serving papers.
Here's the story as reported by GoDanRiver.com...
According to a news release from Danville Police Chief Philip Broadfoot, an officer shot and killed the dachshund Monday night while serving two outstanding warrants to a neighbor in the 100 block of Berman Drive.As the officer returned to his car, “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,” according to the news release. The options for the officer in that type of situation include running to the squad car; distracting the dog; or using pepper spray, a baton or firearm. The dog lunged at the police officer and attacked him as the officer fired one shot that hit and killed the dog, Broadfoot said.
An investigation by the Danville Police Department found that the dog displayed aggressive tendencies before other people.
“Shooting a dog which is actively presenting a threat to an officer is within the department’s policy,” ac-cording to the release.
Lt. Mike Mondul, public information officer for the Danville Police Department, said that the lag between the incident and acknowledgement from the department was due to an administrative decision.
“The decision was made by department administration that the chief would address it on Thursday,” Mondul said.
Carlos, 14, was upstairs when he heard the gunshot.
“I saw my mom, and she started to cry,” Carlos said.
The children came downstairs, he said, and their mother told them that a police officer shot Killer.Tawaiin drove home from work after getting a call from Carlos about the shooting.
“When I got there, the dog was laying with his guts hanging out,” Tawaiin said.
, and Tawaiin walked over to talk to him. He said the officer told him that he had to shoot the dog because he was barking at him. Tawaiin asked for his badge number and name, and said his supervisor was on the way.
His supervisor arrived and couldn’t believe what happened, Tawaiin said.
“(The lieutenant) was very, very remorseful,” Tawaiin said. “He kept apologizing. And he said I know apologizing can’t bring the dog back, but I just don’t know what to say.”
The dog was a member of the family, Tawaiin said. Nicole was 4 and Carlos was 3 when the family wel-comed the new addition.
“He was like a brother to me,” Carlos said.
Killer greeted Tawaiin every time he came home. Whenever a car pulled into the cul-de-sac, Killer barked to let everyone know that someone new was there.
“He was the security guard around here,” Tawaiin said.
Neighbors said Killer was a sweet, mild-mannered dog.
“He just kind of walked up and down the neighborhood and didn’t bother anybody,” said Jenine Edmunds, who lives on the cul-de-sac. “He was just a little house dog.”
Friends and neighbors have asked the Harpers if they will get a new dog.
“You can’t replace Killer. He’s one of a kind.
“I’m still trying to soak it in because the dog had been with us so long. He was a family member. They took a family member away.”
So the Danville Police Department officer killed a harmless dog, then coolly began smoking a cigarette and refused to identify himself.
This asshole "cop" needs to be fired at the very least. And in a saner world and a different age perhaps dragged out into the street and beaten within an inch of his life.
Like I said yesterday, I have no sympathy for anyone who abuses authority entrusted them like this. But no doubt the "internal affairs" of Danville Police will come back after an "investigation" - which we already know will be a joke - and will report that this officer did "nothing wrong". And a family will still be without its miniature dachshund: one of the most playful and harmless breeds around.
Like I also said yesterday: this kind of thing is not going to stop until a lot of the bad cops are dead.
EDIT 06/11/2009 05:08 p.m. EST: What kind of "police officer" is it who would shoot and kill a miniature dachshund that was only barking and was known throughout the community as being a happy, harmless doggy?
Are y'all ready for this?
Click here for more about Murrill McLean of the Danville Police Department.
