Lexington police say one of their officers had no choice but to shoot and kill a family's dog.
Police say an officer was forced to shoot the dog when he encountered it during a foot pursuit that took him through a fenced-in backyard.
“They could have tasered him. They could have pepper sprayed him. He could still be alive today and we could have him here today but instead he's gone,” said the dog’s owner Michael Powell.
Bullet casings still lay in the spot where Powell says a Lexington police officer shot and killed his 10-year-old Rottweiler "Rock" in his own backyard.
“I walked back there and saw that my dog was on my property cornered into a spot and had 6 bullet shots in him and wondered why they shot him six times,” said Powell.
Police say they were serving an arrest warrant on a juvenile in the area when the suspect led them on a foot chase through several backyards.
When they came to Powell's yard, police say Rock charged at one of their officers.
“This was a situation that posed a potentially serious threat to the officer and at that time the officer made the decision to defend himself using his firearm,” explained Lexington PIO Sherelle Roberts.
“I asked him I said you have pepper spray you have a taser how come you did not pepper spray my dog or taser him,” said Powell.
The family says the 10 year old Rottweiler always stays behind this fence and they say neighbors often come by to pet and even feed the dog.
“He's never hurt anybody and never tried to bite anybody or anything,” said Powell.
Police say Rock charged at the officer biting his pant leg and that's when the officer opened fire.
“When you are being attacked by an animal you have the freedom to make the choice to defend yourself and that's what this officer did,” said Roberts.
“He had no reason to be on my property the dog was not out of his area it was a family member to us,” said Powell.
Police say the case is no longer under investigation.
No comments:
Post a Comment