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Woman cited for firing gun to scare off pit bulls that killed pet (Artesia, NM)
KRQE-13 News, Albuquerque ^ | May 10, 2018 | Elena Mendoza

Posted on 06/12/2018 3:30:30 PM PDT by CedarDave

ARTESIA, N.M (KRQE) - A New Mexico mother says she was trying to save her pet. Now, she's facing charges for firing off her gun to scare away a pair of pit bulls that attacked her dog.

On the morning of Monday, April 30, Baeza says she was taking her puppy out to go to the bathroom with her 4-year-old daughter when she looked over to see her dog being mauled to death.

"I went over to my dog and he had a big split down the middle of his chest, I guess from where the dogs were kind of like, tearing him apart kind of," said Baeza.

Baeza then threw a big branch towards the dogs to scare them off, but they didn't leave.

"I went inside and I got my firearm and came back outside. I shot towards the ground," said Baeza.

The dogs ran off. She says she then called the cops.

"I kind of figured I was going to be in a little bit of trouble for firing off a firearm, but I didn't think I was going to be in this kind of trouble,” said Baeza.

They ended up giving her a citation for negligent use of a deadly weapon for firing within the city limits.

"You can't put other people's lives in danger, you can't put the possibility of injuring somebody in the process,” Artesia Police Department Commander Lindell Smith.

"I don't think I should've been punished for that,” said Baeza. “What if they would came and attacked me and my daughter?"

The dogs that killed her pet were never found.

She said she pled not guilty last week. Her trial could be as early as next month.

If found guilty, Baeza faces a possible 90 days in jail.

(Excerpt) Read more at krqe.com ...


TOPICS: Local News; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: banglist; chet99; dog; dogs; donutwatch; newmexico; pitbull; pitbulls
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To: CedarDave

I prefer they insult me rather than arrest me.


21 posted on 06/12/2018 3:59:12 PM PDT by G Larry (There is no great virtue in bargaining with the Devil)
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To: CedarDave
. "You can't put other people's lives in danger, you can't put the possibility of injuring somebody in the process,”

Since when does firing into the dirt do that? But cops do it all the time, the reckless way they shoot. The old double standard, one for cops, one for the citizen.

22 posted on 06/12/2018 3:59:31 PM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: fwdude
"I guess a convenience store owner can get cited then for shooting a robber threatening to kill him?"

Self-defense is a legitimate defense. It doesn't only defend against a murder charge. It is a defense against any criminal charge. But defending her dog is not self-defense, or defense of another. She should have said she was protecting her daughter.

23 posted on 06/12/2018 4:05:52 PM PDT by mlo
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To: CedarDave
The sad part about firearms ownership and use is that all you have seen in TV and Movies about firearms use will likely get you put in jail.

Anyone who has a firearm needs to have read local “use of deadly force laws” and understand what you can and legally can't do.

Usually they involve a “reasonable man” test and usually the most critical thing you do or don't do is talk to the police after firing your weapon.

Statements, like I need to speak to my attorney before I answer any of your questions are the best response to police. Screaming at the top of your lungs just prior to firing your weapon that you are afraid for your life and telling that to your attorney who will relay it to the police is also good. Likewise telling that attorney that you were afraid for your daughters life will work.

NEVER, NEVER fire a weapon in the air, at the ground. If you have a reason to use deadly force, then use deadly force with the intent of saving your life or that of someone else. To fire any kind of warning shot is for the most part an act of negligent discharge. Oh and brandishing a weapons (i.e. pulling it to intimidate without shooting) is also a crime.

Again, if you pull your deadly force weapon, you need to pass the “reasonable man” test and that means you must pull and shoot, nothing halfway.

Look at what the article says she was charged with. This is a teachable moment.

“....They ended up giving her a citation for negligent use of a deadly weapon for firing within the city limits.

“You can't put other people's lives in danger, you can't put the possibility of injuring somebody in the process,” Artesia Police Department Commander Lindell Smith....”

24 posted on 06/12/2018 4:11:33 PM PDT by Robert357 ( Dan Rather was discharged as "medically unfit" on May 11, 1954.)
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To: CedarDave

Self defense would be the tactic that I would use in this situation. She did not know if those pits were going to turn and attack her. She feared that she might be grievously injured by the dogs.

Oh, and request a jury trial.


25 posted on 06/12/2018 4:18:14 PM PDT by taxcontrol (Stupid should hurt)
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To: LibWhacker

“......Since when does firing into the dirt do that? But cops do it all the time,........”

Firing warning shots and shots into the ground is almost universally against the law. It just depends on if the police officer wants to turn it over to the DA and if the DA wants to go after you. Part of that decision is what you say to the police officer.

Police Officers are absolutely NOT trained to fire warning shots. They are trained to fire only when deadly force is required and to not stop shooting until it is obvious that deadly force is no longer needed. Which is why in so many situations you have a police officer (based on training) putting a dozen rounds or more into a criminal and the uninformed public going nuts about police brutality and executions.

The laws governing the use of firearms have very little to do with common sense or what people have seen in TV or movies.


26 posted on 06/12/2018 4:18:54 PM PDT by Robert357 ( Dan Rather was discharged as "medically unfit" on May 11, 1954.)
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To: Robert357

She shot at the dogs, missed and hit the ground? Then would that be “OK”?


27 posted on 06/12/2018 4:23:07 PM PDT by DaveA37
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To: CedarDave
The dogs ran off. She says she then called the cops.


Now why, pray tell, did she do that?
28 posted on 06/12/2018 4:27:23 PM PDT by The_Media_never_lie ("The MSM is the enemy of the American people"...Democrat Pat Caddell)
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To: CedarDave

She’s in trouble because by shooing the dogs away the cops didn’t get to shoot them and cops get really mad when they miss a chance to kill a dog.


29 posted on 06/12/2018 4:28:02 PM PDT by MeganC (There is nothing feminine about feminism.)
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To: CedarDave
Always fire into a safe backstop - a pit bull will do.

30 posted on 06/12/2018 4:29:17 PM PDT by BitWielder1 (I'd rather have Unequal Wealth than Equal Poverty.)
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To: piasa

To deal with the dogs, and maybe the owner, most likely.


31 posted on 06/12/2018 4:40:09 PM PDT by madison10
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To: CedarDave

“You can’t put other people’s lives in danger, you can’t put the possibility of injuring somebody in the process,” Artesia Police Department Commander Lindell Smith.

A shot into dirt ground does none of this. Lindell Smith should be fired for blatantly demonstrating extremely poor judgement.


32 posted on 06/12/2018 4:53:10 PM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: CedarDave

After watching “Lone Star Law”, I realize do not admit to anything.

Shoot a hawk killing your chickens? $485.00 fine.

The three S’s.


33 posted on 06/12/2018 4:58:58 PM PDT by hadaclueonce ( This time I am Deplorableo)
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To: CedarDave

In text the owner seems KINDA LIKE not very upset about her dog.
That KINDA LIKE ticks me off.

I would have tackled those dogs with my bare hands.


34 posted on 06/12/2018 5:04:07 PM PDT by DivineMomentsOfTruth ("There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and persue it steadily." -GW)
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To: CedarDave

. . . and then there are those illegal criminals that rape, pillage and murder that are not even charged. America is becoming a bastion of the insane.


35 posted on 06/12/2018 5:10:38 PM PDT by Maudeen (http://ThereIsHopeinJesus.com/)
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To: mlo

. “But defending her dog is not self-defense, or defense of another. She should have said she was protecting her daughter”

NM ain’t California. You may indeed fire a shot to protect your dog from a attacking feral dogs in NM. The Artesia cop leadership has a very anti-gun bent, but they will not prevail in this prosecution because it was not negligent under NM law.
In NM a dog is personal property. You may not shoot a person for harming your dog, but you can sure as hell destroy someone else’s personal property that was destroying yours.

The case will be lost by the whelp of a cop, she will walk.


36 posted on 06/12/2018 5:27:54 PM PDT by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: Robert357

“Again, if you pull your deadly force weapon, you need to pass the “reasonable man” test and that means you must pull and shoot, nothing halfway.”

Idiotic. The old samurai sword must taste blood if it is drawn concept. The majority of defensive uses do not involve a shot being fired at all. You never pull it to run a bluff, but if you are in defense zone and draw, you had better not fire if they drop the knife, turn to run, etc.

Of course, you are so lightning fast that no person could possibly react or stop their attack before your Jerry Miculek act, but for mere mortals, no...drawing is not automatically meaning you must fire.
Conversely, there are more than a few times that having your gun out is completely justified, though firing shot may not yet be.

When you hear an intruder at night, do you holster up before you search the house and then only draw when it’s deadly force time?
You are in a business when an active shooter begins his terror, you and 5 other people seek shelter in the nearest office where you can lock the door. Do you draw and cover the door, or do you remain holstered until you can see the killer at your door?

Bad advice.


37 posted on 06/12/2018 5:36:24 PM PDT by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: DivineMomentsOfTruth

“In text the owner seems KINDA LIKE not very upset about her dog.”

Maybe you should watch the video. She choked up in near tears and couldn’t bring herself to even say what had happened to her puppy.


38 posted on 06/12/2018 5:40:16 PM PDT by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: CedarDave

Beware. Western states are liberaltarian no-go zones solely for those who indulge in vices, crime and slavery.


39 posted on 06/12/2018 5:47:52 PM PDT by familyop ("Welcome to Costco. I love you." - -Costco greeter in the movie, "Idiocracy")
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To: CedarDave

Artesia is scraping bottom.


40 posted on 06/12/2018 6:15:29 PM PDT by Sequoyah101 (It feels like we have exchanged our dreams for survival. We just have a few days that don't suck.)
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