Posted on 09/04/2012 11:28:50 AM PDT by Altariel
THORNTON, Colo. — A Thornton police officer shoots and kills a family’s dog he claims threatened him Sunday.
But the dog’s family and neighbors dispute that.
They say the American bulldog-mix never even left their front yard.
Police were in the neighborhood chasing after a man wanted on a misdemeanor drug charge.
The man, Phillip Armstrong-Bowen, was already under arrest when the officer shot the animal.
“He was on my screen saver,” says Vivian Girone, of 8-year-old Scar.
Girone like any proud grandma shows off photos of the dog–in the car, snuggling with dad and out-cold on the couch.
“He was almost human,” says Girone.
But her last memory of him brings her to tears.
“He was bleeding profusely. And he fell in. I dragged him in. I covered his head and I loved on him. He was so hurt,” says Girone.
A Thornton police officer shot scar once in the face.
The department says in a news release: “….a large pit bull started to run toward the officers from a nearby residence. The dog charged one of the officers and began to leap at one of the officers. To protect himself from the attack as the dog’s mouth was open while charging, the officer fired one round and struck the animal.”
“He wasn’t running, he wasn’t growling, he wasn’t barking. He was not lunging,” says a witness who saw the shooting.
But neighbors and family say the dog didn’t threaten anyone–didn’t even leave the front yard.
“He just saw that dog, didn’t even look twice, went boom,” says the witness who didn’t want to be identified.
“I had him since he was a puppy. I raised him. He was the most lovable dog you could ever imagine. He learned to play football. He made touchdowns. He just wouldn’t return the ball back,” says John Lara, the dog’s owner.
“I don’t know what we’re going to do without him. He was just one of us, you know,” says Girone.
But still they wonder why their buddy had to die on his home turf by a man they say is supposed to protect and serve.
“I really want justice just for him. He had no fault in that at all. None,” says Girone.
The family rushed Scar to the veterinarian and paid $1,000 to save his life. But he died anyway.
They say they would have been more understanding of the situation, if the officer had even apologized.
Are we sure that the police aren't being bing taken over by Middle Easterners? They hate dogs.
Nice looking dog. I am sure you feel very secure with him near you.
Instead of the BS “war on women” theme pushed by the media, they should investigate the real “war on dogs” the police have been waging the past 10 years.
>> “America has gone mad.” <<
.
Decades ago.
You should place signs on your vehicle’s windows:
“Caution Service Dog - Stay Back 10 Feet”
I’m surprised no one has created a graphic showing a picture of Mohammed pronouncing his support for a dog shooting.
“Mohammed Approved Dog Shooting”.
It could even be shaped like a badge.
Surely there’s some Freeper in media who would be willing to put this information out as a documentary or a television program.
“War on Dogs” would be an apt title. They’d literally have HUNDREDS of cases.
You do not need the rifle; “boar rounds” do nicely at penetrating kevlar garments.
They are available in .357, .44, and .454 (all ‘wheel’ guns)
Ironically, I’m starting to feel as though I have to keep him safe instead of the other way around.
I really do worry about cops when I have him with me.
Non-cops, I worry not.
“...America has gone mad....”
No...not America....not the whole country.
Just some Useful Idiots, their handlers, and their trigger happy flunkies.
That’s actually a pretty good idea...but I’d raise it to 20 feet, probably, just to be safe.
His harness patches already warn people that the dog’s ‘job’ is to protect me...and they usually get ignored by everybody who just ~has~ to pet him.
LOL
Mine too.
He’s there as soon as he hears a car come up the lane from 100 yards away.
I fenced off the back yard so the delivery people can come in safely.
He just raises hell at them through the front window in the living room, now.
[I put metal bars over the screen...he can easily ram through that stuff, if he wants]
That’s cold comfort.
:-\
I pray you never have to go through that scenario.
Word is getting out; I pray enough people will stand against this to stop this before it gets worse.
That’s because you care. We all try to keep those we care about safe. Quite certain he will do the same for you.
What’s the real reason
Remember though in a shotgun use birdshot, birdshot, slug. Body armor will not stop the slug.
Another minor drug offense leads to a dead family dog.
Let’s keep this war on drugs going. /s
Sadly, it appears to be practicing on animals, so they have less compunction to use them on law-abiding citizens.
Obama needs to have his Civilian National Security Force, you know.
“What’s the real reason”
Because they can. Cops get to do all sorts of things that normal people would never get away with and in the past few years they’ve decided to start shooting dogs. This is a relatively new phenomenon and is likely linked to the militarization of the police across the country. Shooting people’s dogs is an effective way of letting people know who the boss is and it is also a handy way for certain cops to bully people. And, so far, I don’t know of any cops who’ve been reprimanded for shooting dogs, even the hero who shot a two-pound teacup Chihuahua a year or two ago got away with it.
Yes he absolutely would...and that’s what worries me.
I don’t want him to die for me....:(
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