Police kill dog while stopping at wrong house on alarm call

Milwaukee Sentinel Journal ^ | April 30, 2004 | REID J. EPSTEIN

[decimon]

Muskego - Police officers responding to a burglar alarm at the wrong house shot and killed a 100-pound family dog that bounded toward them, the dog's owner said Friday. Muskego

At his mother's home Tuesday afternoon, Jacob Davida was working on his computer when he heard a knock at the front door.

With Bongo, the family's Mastiff, St. Bernard and German shepherd mix at his side, Davida opened the door to find police officers with guns drawn.

As usual, Bongo, 9, was without a leash because he didn't run off and never harmed anyone, Davida said. Bongo, with golden fur and a block-shaped head, was best friend to Davida and his four siblings. But on this day, the dog's inquisitive nature marked his downfall.

"My dog ran up from behind me toward the cop because he's a curious dog," said Davida, 24, of Madison. "I was screaming at the top of my lungs for them to stop shooting, for them to stop."

But his screams went for naught. The dog's days of walks in the park and canoe trips ended with a shot through his neck, Davida said.

"The cop just started shooting," he said. "The first bullet hit the ground close to me. The second shot hit the driveway. Then he shot and killed my dog right in front of me."

After shooting Bongo, Davida said, police officers told him that they were at his house to investigate a burglar alarm. The house, west of Big Muskego Lake, has no such alarm.

"They put that over the radio, and it came back that they had the wrong address," Davida said. "It turned out they were at the wrong place. Most of the cops left at that point to check out the actual burglary."

Muskego police Sgt. David Constantineau confirmed Friday that officers shot a dog Tuesday afternoon but said he would not release any details.

"It's under investigation," he said.

Davida finally went back to his computer programming job in Madison on Friday, but said the horror of watching his dog's death left him stricken.

"Retelling the story, I kind of shake," Davida said. "I had to break the news to each of my family members. I can't get the scene out of my head. It just plays over and over."

Bongo is to be buried on a farm in Fall River in Columbia County owned by Davida's sister and her husband.

As it turned out, the alarm came from the next-door neighbor's house. The neighbor, Robert Anderson, said nothing was taken, but the back and garage doors were left open.

To make matters worse, Davida watched the would-be burglar escape but, terrified after seeing his dog shot, didn't say anything to police.

"I saw the guy leave while the cops were interrogating me," he said. "I just assumed it was another police officer."

[Badeye]

The officer should be fired immediately. The family involved should sue, immediately. And they should demand a jury trial, no settlement.

I have four dogs, one of which is a Rott/German Shepard "mix" that does cause people to pause upon entering my house. After three minutes, they realize she's a sweetie, just happy we have "visitors". She never leaves my side, unless something or somebody "new" comes thru the gate when I answer the door, and even then I can freeze her in her tracks with a verbal command. (Very very bright dog).

This just makes me sick. A dog is a great companion, and simply the best burgler alarm available. I don't have kids, so all four are our "kids".

I'd loose it if the police killed one of them, no doubt about it.

[eastforker]

I understand and I also have these thoughts. I am armed to the hilt, from .44 on down and have contemplated what I would do in this type of situation. Not a pretty picture.

[johnfrink]

"Is it in their training to take no chances with dogs?"

It is in their training to evaluate a threat and respond with deadly force. The problem here is that they stupidly went to the wrong house to begin with, and so were at a higher level of precaution. So had they done what they were supposed to do, that "threat" would never have materialized.

From a heartstrings-tugging perspective, the death of the dog is the bad part of the story, but from a "that could have been you" perspective, it's the facts that the idiot cop went to the friggin' wrong address. How many times has this happened--cop goes to wrong address, kicks down door, owner grabs gun, thinking he's being robbed, and cop shoots owner? I'd say this is a fire-able offense, no doubt about it.

[theDentist]

On the other hand, if the dog had jumped and ripped the officer's throat, we'd have wondered why he didn't have his weapon out already.

[Lee Heggy]

Wrong, very wrong. I see a civil suit in the future for a certain trigger happy LEO.

[Darksheare]

"I saw the guy leave while the cops were interrogating me," he said. "I just assumed it was another police officer."

THIS is what makes it so much more infuriating.
The cops are grilling the homeowner, and the bad guy saunters off right next to them.
This AFTER the dog is shot.

[mhking]

Oops!

Just damn.

If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[johnfrink]

Mistakes made by the cops in this story:

1. Go to wrong address.
2. Don't bother securing perimeter or checking outside of house--just go and knock on the door.
3. Shoot dog.
4. Demonstrate horrible marksmanship while shooting dog.
5. Allow actual perpetrator to escape.
6. Damage city budget via massive civil lawsuit.

Yikes.

[FreedomPoster]

Fat chance of that happening. The dog owner will be lucky if he is not charged with something, mark my words.

[mewzilla]

I'm just amazed they responded to a residential burglar alarm.

[CSM]

If the postal workers and meter readers are smart enough to recognize a threatening dog vs. a friendly dog, then why can't the cops use the same sense? Macing a JRT, what an idiot. My mail carrier and meter readers always have treats and my dog loves them!

[freeeee]

I don't trust police around my dogs any more than I trust alligators with them.

And for the same exact reason.

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

Ah, but the ricochet bullet at his feet is a different story. I wish he was MY client. Ka-ching! :0)

[rintense]

If I've said it before, I've said it a thousand times. Police officers should be trained in spotting aggressive dogs. Anyone who is familiar with dogs can tell if a dog is aggressive or friendly.

What a horrible thing for a dog owner to have to watch and go through.

[Veracious Poet]

Sounds like America in the 21st Century to me...

[Monty22]

More trigger happy cops.. sigh.

So sick and tired of them shooting first.. Somedays I think we should just have CHL's and cops should be like English bobbies, cause they are not, in general, competent.

[ruoflaw]

Oh, I believe he most certainly can sue and he will win alot of money!

[hookman]

cop kills dog alert!

[Redbob]

I guess Davida can thank his lucky stars his children didn't coming running up right at that point, instead of the dog!

[Darksheare]

Vicious child alert!
"I was afraid they'd bite my ankles off! I mean, we don't know if the kids had their rabies shots ya know!"
*ugh*

I'm going to go have some coffee, I'm showing signs of caffiene deprivation.