Anti Federalist
03-20-2012, 08:38 PM
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People burning wooden wire spools at backyard campfire get ratted out by some buttinsky neighbor, who calls the cops.
Cop enters the warning signed yard, in the dark, and shoots the family dog as he approaches, with the owner just five feet behind him.
Family get seriously injured dog, thousands in vet bills, oh yeah, and a ticket for violation of the city's burn ordinance.
Aliquippa woman plans to sue after officer shoots dog
http://www.timesonline.com/news/local_news/aliquippa-woman-plans-to-sue-after-officer-shoots-dog/article_2a4344d9-ac5c-5fe9-923b-ab3dd8a0f9f7.html
Posted: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 4:34 pm
By Jenny Wagner jwagner@timesonline.com | 3 comments
ALIQUIPPA -- An Aliquippa woman said an officer shot her dog without provocation while police were responding to a call for smoke coming from the property.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/timesonline.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/b9/9b9652bf-04d7-586f-b706-b5389049be98/4f692154dbedc.preview-300.jpg
Aliquippa Police Chief Andre Davis said officers were investigating a report of billowing smoke at 1501 Green St., around 12:30 a.m. Saturday, when one of the officers was confronted by a dog.
Davis said the officer, whom he would not identify, was "stuck in no man's land" between the patrol car and the house after the Lab-pit bull mix came running out from behind the property.
"(The officer) had to take action to protect himself," Davis said. "He had to take it as a dangerous dog because it didn't come in a friendly manner and (the dog) wasn't contained."
The dog's owner, Angel Hankinson, said police did not use sirens or flashing lights when they pulled into the driveway, and did not identify themselves as they began walking into the yard.
Hankinson, who was with others around a fire pit in the back yard, saw flashlights around the front of the house and followed the dog, Ice, as she headed toward the front yard.
As Ice rounded the front corner of the home, Hankinson said the officer fired three shots, hitting Ice once in the jaw.
"If you can't see anything, why are you shooting off bullets in the dark?" said Hankinson, who added that she was only five feet behind the dog and could have been shot as well.
Ice is "50 percent Labrador, 50 percent pit bull, and 100 percent loveable" and has never bitten anyone, Hankinson said. The family's house has been broken into in the past, Hankinson said, so the dogs act as a security system and signs are posted warning visitors of their presence.
Hankinson, who said she plans to file a civil lawsuit, wants the police department to pay for more than $2,000 in veterinary bills and for special food that Ice must now eat.
Davis said the officer is a dog owner and although police try to avoid such incidents, they must use whatever means necessary when confronted by the threat of a charging dog.
"It's an unfortunate incident, but my officer acted properly, and I think with any rational human being, the first thing would be to try to defend themselves against an attack," he said.
Davis said the residents of the Green Street home were found to be burning a large pile of spools of wiring and will be cited for violating the city's burning ordinance.
Aliquippa firefighters responded to extinguish the fire, Davis said.
People burning wooden wire spools at backyard campfire get ratted out by some buttinsky neighbor, who calls the cops.
Cop enters the warning signed yard, in the dark, and shoots the family dog as he approaches, with the owner just five feet behind him.
Family get seriously injured dog, thousands in vet bills, oh yeah, and a ticket for violation of the city's burn ordinance.
Aliquippa woman plans to sue after officer shoots dog
http://www.timesonline.com/news/local_news/aliquippa-woman-plans-to-sue-after-officer-shoots-dog/article_2a4344d9-ac5c-5fe9-923b-ab3dd8a0f9f7.html
Posted: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 4:34 pm
By Jenny Wagner jwagner@timesonline.com | 3 comments
ALIQUIPPA -- An Aliquippa woman said an officer shot her dog without provocation while police were responding to a call for smoke coming from the property.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/timesonline.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/b9/9b9652bf-04d7-586f-b706-b5389049be98/4f692154dbedc.preview-300.jpg
Aliquippa Police Chief Andre Davis said officers were investigating a report of billowing smoke at 1501 Green St., around 12:30 a.m. Saturday, when one of the officers was confronted by a dog.
Davis said the officer, whom he would not identify, was "stuck in no man's land" between the patrol car and the house after the Lab-pit bull mix came running out from behind the property.
"(The officer) had to take action to protect himself," Davis said. "He had to take it as a dangerous dog because it didn't come in a friendly manner and (the dog) wasn't contained."
The dog's owner, Angel Hankinson, said police did not use sirens or flashing lights when they pulled into the driveway, and did not identify themselves as they began walking into the yard.
Hankinson, who was with others around a fire pit in the back yard, saw flashlights around the front of the house and followed the dog, Ice, as she headed toward the front yard.
As Ice rounded the front corner of the home, Hankinson said the officer fired three shots, hitting Ice once in the jaw.
"If you can't see anything, why are you shooting off bullets in the dark?" said Hankinson, who added that she was only five feet behind the dog and could have been shot as well.
Ice is "50 percent Labrador, 50 percent pit bull, and 100 percent loveable" and has never bitten anyone, Hankinson said. The family's house has been broken into in the past, Hankinson said, so the dogs act as a security system and signs are posted warning visitors of their presence.
Hankinson, who said she plans to file a civil lawsuit, wants the police department to pay for more than $2,000 in veterinary bills and for special food that Ice must now eat.
Davis said the officer is a dog owner and although police try to avoid such incidents, they must use whatever means necessary when confronted by the threat of a charging dog.
"It's an unfortunate incident, but my officer acted properly, and I think with any rational human being, the first thing would be to try to defend themselves against an attack," he said.
Davis said the residents of the Green Street home were found to be burning a large pile of spools of wiring and will be cited for violating the city's burning ordinance.
Aliquippa firefighters responded to extinguish the fire, Davis said.