Army Vet Says Police Raided Wrong Apartment, Killed His Dog

[cindy25]

http://www.wkbw.com/news/Army-Vet-Sa...210151651.html

[RM918]

We've investigated ourselves and found that policy was followed. Move along.

[Cleaner44]

Lawsuits... massive lawsuits are needed asap. Break the budgets of these police departments. Make them pay dearly and then maybe we will have a chance at reversing this trend.

[invisible]

Lawsuits... massive lawsuits are needed asap. Break the budgets of these police departments. Make them pay dearly and then maybe we will have a chance at reversing this trend.

The problem with this is first finding a lawyer who is willing to take such a case, and then having to pay them a $10,000 retainer to do so.

[tod evans]

"We think your neighbor might be doing crack-cocaine so we're going to break into your home and kill your pet because......Well $#@! you mundane!"

Get a rope!

[EBounding]

Can state legislatures write a law requiring police departments to pay $500K or something to the victims of "mistaken raids"? Is there anything like that anywhere?

[tod evans]

Can state legislatures write a law requiring police departments to pay $500K or something to the victims of "mistaken raids"? Is there anything like that anywhere?

Too many laws are the problem, writing more legislation would only compound the issue..

How about repealing the legislation that forbids personal accountability for government employees? (Qualified immunity)

Or repealing the legislation that says a citizen must get permission to sue government?

Or even repealing the legislation that outlaws "Drugs"?

[SeanTX]

I also read elsewhere that animal control charged him for the disposal of the dog. It's kind of like the cases where the cops let a dog out of a fenced yard, shoot it, then give the owner a ticket for having a "dog at large." First they kill your dog, then make you pay some $$$ to the city as a "f*ck you."

[mrsat_98]

I think I would sue under 42 USC 1983, allege the drug laws are completely unconstitutional to start with, and then lead into they got the wrong house. Anyone that got together with a whole bunch of warriors and invaded the wrong country should at least understand this.

[chudrockz]

I also read elsewhere that animal control charged him for the disposal of the dog. It's kind of like the cases where the cops let a dog out of a fenced yard, shoot it, then give the owner a ticket for having a "dog at large." First they kill your dog, then make you pay some $$$ to the city as a "f*ck you."

I can say with absolute 100% certainty that if this scenario happens to me, what follows would make huge international headlines.

[SeanTX]

Oh, forgot to add, since the guy had the dog "chained up" in his apartment, I'm expecting there may be "animal cruelty" charges coming his way soon. The police somewhere in GA did that a year or two ago, a cop went to the wrong address and went in their garage and shot a dog that was chained up by the door -- after he went to the media with the story the police turned around and ticketed him for having the dog chained up.

[moostraks]

Made me think of this old thread. Seems surprised they don't care about what damage was done. He needs to hear how the police think about those they are "serving". http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...-of-a-SWAT-cop

[RickyJ]

I think it is safe to assume cops are getting even dumber than they use to be. Dumb to dumber is the progression of police personnel across the nation, which makes sense since the average American is also getting dumber.

[Anti Federalist]

Served and protected the $#@! outta you, huh Adam?

Bet you're glad you fought for freedom.




Iraq war vet's dog killed in police raid

7:12 AM, Jun 5, 2013

http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/383...in-police-raid

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WGRZ) -- An Iraq War veteran claims that Buffalo Police targeted the wrong apartment when they kicked in his door and killed his dog Monday searching for drugs.

Adam Arroyo says he did nothing wrong, and now he wants an apology.

"I saw the carnage when I came in the door," he says.

Arroyo showed us bullet holes and blood left behind after he says Buffalo Police raided his apartment and killed his two-and-a-half-year-old pit bull Cindy.

"I would like an apology. They murdered, it was like my daughter, you know. That was my baby. Everybody knew that was my little girl. I took care of her so well. You know, that was my love," he says.

Around 8:30 Monday night, Arroyo, who works security at a bank, says he got a call from his landlord telling him police had just raided his apartment and killed his dog.

"I suddenly just started crying. I'm at work. People are like, what's wrong, what's wrong," says Arroyo.

By the time Arroyo made it back to the west side, police, and his dog were already gone. He did find a trashed apartment and a search warrant.

He says that while the search warrant is for 304 Brekenridge "upper," his apartment is the "upper rear."
Also, Arroyo points out a striking difference in who police were searching for.

"They were looking for a black male. I'm Hispanic. Puerto Rican. And, they were looking for crack/cocaine," he says showing us the search warrant.

So what did the raid turn up?

Arroyo says no drugs, just a military baton and pepper spray.

"This is stuff that I use for my safety because there are people on this block that get hurt, that get killed, and I've been here for three years and I've heard stories," he says.

He says he called 911 but that didn't help, then went to a police substation where he was given a number to call the narcotics division. He left a message Tuesday afternoon.

Police told us that the Buffalo Police Commissioner has opened an internal investigation into the case with the Internal Affairs Division in Charge.

We asked if police raided the wrong apartment, and we are told they believe they had the proper address and apartment.

"People make mistakes, but this is something, it was a very big mistake, you know, especially coming in here and killing an innocent dog that is chained up. I could understand it if the dog was loose and it charged, then you know that gives them probable cause because they fear for their life, but to shoot an innocent dog that doesn't pose a threat," says Arroyo.

Right now, detectives do not think Cindy was chained or leashed Monday night.

Arroyo had to go to the SPCA to claim Cindy's body and pay for her cremation. They gave him a discount and charged him $20 instead of the usual $100+, he says.

Arroyo also told us that he has plans to sign up for the National Guard, but those plans are now on hold as he sorts out this mess.

[Anti Federalist]

Missed it...damn, merge plz.

[JK/SEA]

thats what you get for owning a dog, now shut up.

[cindy25]

The problem with this is first finding a lawyer who is willing to take such a case, and then having to pay them a $10,000 retainer to do so.

there should be no retainer on this, the law firm gets 1/3 of the settlement or jury award.

[cindy25]

Lawsuits... massive lawsuits are needed asap. Break the budgets of these police departments. Make them pay dearly and then maybe we will have a chance at reversing this trend.

lawsuits, but not aimed only at the city; these murderers must be sued personally. take their houses, and it will end.

[Anti Federalist]

thats what you get for owning a dog, now shut up.

Prolly had it coming to him anyways.

*belch*

Murika!

[invisible]

there should be no retainer on this, the law firm gets 1/3 of the settlement or jury award.

Ah, but there is! I take it you've never tried to actually hire a lawyer to bring one of these suits. They want the retainer because they claim that these cases are long, drawn out, and difficult with a low chance of success. Only exception seems to be if you are not white, and have been severely injured or killed. But even then, it's EXTREMELY difficult to find a lawyer who is willing to sue cops.

[tod evans]

Lawyers are part-n-parcel of the "Just-Us" system....

[Occam's Banana]

Lawsuits... massive lawsuits are needed asap. Break the budgets of these police departments. Make them pay dearly and then maybe we will have a chance at reversing this trend.

I hate to have to say it, but this won't do one damn bit of good.

For one thing, it's the taxpayers who'll be punished. They'll just end up footing bigger and bigger bills.

And the extent (if any) to which this actually discomfits the "system" in any significant way, they'll just pass "laws" to limit liability.

Then we'll be even more screwed than we were before ...

[Anti Federalist]

Pit bull owner sues Buffalo Police over shooting of dog

http://www.wgrz.com/story/news/2015/...falo/71333584/

BUFFALO, NY - A Buffalo man has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Buffalo police over a raid that ended with the death of his dog, which he says should never have happened in the first place.

"She was like my best friend and it's like having your best friend, your brother, sister, daughter taken from you," said Adam Arroyo.

That's how the Iraq War Army veteran remembers his two-year-old pit bull Cindy, who was shot by police officers two years ago inside his apartment on Breckenridge Street.

"I got a phone call from my landlord and she said that the police raided my house, the first thing I asked her is where's my dog? She called me about 10 minutes later and she said they shot and killed my dog and from there I just kind of lost it at work," Arroyo said.
WGRZ

WGRZ (Photo: WGRZ)

He tells us police were searching for drugs and got the wrong house.

"It was just a mix up," he said.

After the incident Arroyo, showed us the bullet holes that were left at the apartment. He also points to the search warrant that was left behind. It says police were targeting the upper level of the home Arroyo lived in. But, there were two apartments on the upper level, in the front and the back. Arroyo lived in the back of the house. He believes police meant to arrest his neighbor at the time.

Also, following the incident, Buffalo Police commissioner Daniel Derenda said the department's internal affairs division would review the actions officers took. 2 On Your Side asked for an update on the investigation and Friday we weren't given a response.

"It blows my mind to just think that two years after they still don't want to talk about it they just want to brush it under the rug like it never happened," Arroyo said.

Arroyo's attorney Matthew Albert said, "police in this instance deprived him of his right to property by decimating his dog."

Plus Arroyo says he left his dog chained to a sink, away from the front door. He questions whether police really thought his dog was a threat.

Buffalo police won't respond to the lawsuit citing the pending litigation. But, police do say officers have the right to use lethal force if they feel threatened by a dog. The question is whether the use of force was reasonable and that's something that'll be debated in court.

[Weston White]

See that is bollocks, this logic and reasoning. It establishes such a low standard, the mere 'feeling' of being in danger. The bar should be raised for law enforcement professionals, not lowered, as being a bona fide, factual threat. For of course a dog is going to bark and lunge at anything invading the premise of the animal that is what animals do, it is as unavoidable as it is to be expected. So why not provide defensive training to law enforcement personnel as part of their POST requirements, as to methods of fending off dog bites, kick and baton methods, OC spray, taking animal control equipment along with their other raid equipment, etc? Also how about when serving warrants, in cases where no immediate human occupation is known, just stand by for animal control officers to arrive when it is discovered there is a large animal in the perimeter of the search zone--as it is highly unlikely that he dog is going to flush them all down the toilet in the meantime, itself such a ridiculous notion?

The self-serving attitude of law enforcement personnel, being arbitrary, convoluted, and the like, needs to be ceased.