Police shoot family dogs while executing search warrant.

[LeChatNoir]

http://www.fox2now.com/news/ktvi-col...,3652907.story

And a more editorial article about the video... http://www.theatlantic.com/national/...n-drugs/56380/

Basically, some police in Columbia, MO (about an hour from me) were executing a warrant on a home. In the process they shoot the family's dogs, killing one and injuring the other...in front of their 7 year old son. The warrant was for dealer sized quantities of pot. Did they find any? No, all they found was "...a small amount of marijuana and some drug paraphernalia, a fact which has only further aggravated those upset by the shooting."

I watched the video and just about cried. You can't see the dogs getting shot, but you hear the gunfire and hear the dogs yelping. It's really heartbreaking.

One of the dogs was a corgi. I mean, of all the non-threatening dogs out there, I would think a corgi would be at the top of the list.

I'm really torn on this, because my instinctive, emotional reaction is "those mother fuckers killed those dogs! If it was me I'd sue the shit out of the police department!" and another part of me says, "The cops were doing their jobs, they didn't know if the dogs were a threat or not." Since you can't see if the dogs actually attacked the officers or if they were just barking at them, it's really hard to make a judgment call.

What do you think?

[Greenday]

So a pitbull was acting extremely aggressive towards the cops and to protect themselves, they shot at it and it the process, accidentally shot the corgi. It's not like the pitbull wasn't a threat based on what the articles said. Maybe the parents shouldn't have kept their 7 year old around where the cops were searching. I don't really get what the fuss is about.

[Skelly]

Brought to you by The War On (Some) Drugs. For fucks sake, a crew of SWAT-monkeys to bust someone possibly dealing a bit of pot? Jesus fucking Christ.

[HYHYBT]

It all depends on something we don't know: the behavior of the dogs.

[MaggieTheCat]

The search happened at night -- it was full dark outside when the cops entered the building, and they entered immediately after knocking on the door, without giving the people a chance to actually answer the door. Immediately after they entered (within less than 5 seconds) is when the first shot went off and the dog started whimpering in pain. I don't see how the parents could have gotten their child out of the area in that timeframe.

Also, it doesn't show the dogs in the video, but I've read that at least one of them was in a crate when the police entered.

Personally, I think this is ridiculous. Yes, we can hear the dogs barking, but they're not growling and I have no idea how Greenday gets that the dogs are acting "extremely aggressively" out of any of this. And the police don't even attempt to calm the barking dog down before they shoot it. So that's okay? Police enter the home of a suspected drug dealer and immediately shoot the dog because it's barking, and that's okay? I don't see this as a dangerous environment and I don't see how what these cops did is okay. Even if the pitbull was being extremely aggressive and attacking, or about to attack, one of the officers, they could have shot at it once...which they did, and then we heard it whimpering in pain...then several seconds later, there are 4-5 more shots, then silence. 1) you don't need to shoot a dog 5-6 times to get it to back down, especially after it's been shot once and obviously badly hurt 2) why did they shoot the corgi after the first shot? Corgis, as has been pointed out, are not at all aggressive like pit bulls are thought to be.

[AdminAssistant]

On one hand, it's very sad that these dogs were killed, perhaps, unnecessarily.

On the other hand, I have no fucking sympathy for ANYONE who keeps illegal shit in the same house as their child. Even if it was a "small amount of pot" and "paraphernalia" it's illegal. The fault here lies with the douchebag parents who couldn't keep their habit out of their home.

[Rageaholic]

Brought to you by The War On (Some) Drugs. For fucks sake, a crew of SWAT-monkeys to bust someone possibly dealing a bit of pot? Jesus fucking Christ.

That's what gets me about this. It was all over drugs. This wasn't a life or death situation. This war on drugs is a big waste of time.

Also what Maggie said, they didn't have enough time to put the dogs away. Just because they broke some stupid law doesn't mean they should have lost their dog.

[Hobbs]

Even if the pitbull was being extremely aggressive and attacking, or about to attack, one of the officers, they could have shot at it once...which they did, and then we heard it whimpering in pain...then several seconds later, there are 4-5 more shots, then silence. 1) you don't need to shoot a dog 5-6 times to get it to back down, especially after it's been shot once and obviously badly hurt 2) why did they shoot the corgi after the first shot? Corgis, as has been pointed out, are not at all aggressive like pit bulls are thought to be.

Are you a trained police officer? Officers are trained to shoot until the threat is neutralized. They're not meant to be marksmen who can shoot off a thumb from 50 feet. They're taught to fire, usually, three-rounds; two to center-mass, one to the head. That's how I was taught.

[BlaqueKatt]

They're taught to fire, usually, three-rounds; two to center-mass, one to the head. That's how I was taught.

yup and I've watched them fire 10 rounds at a suspect from less than 10 feet away and miss all 10 shots. I am actually a better marksman than about 80% of my city's police force.....

[Greenday]

I have no idea how Greenday gets that the dogs are acting "extremely aggressively" out of any of this. And the police don't even attempt to calm the barking dog down before they shoot it. So that's okay?

"The dog was aggressive towards the officers (so) the officers shot at the dog…" said Detective Jeff Westbrook. Police also say reports that the pit bull was locked in a crate when shot are false.

Maybe I think that because I actually read the article posted.

Um, and why should the cops have to risk their lives to calm down a dangerous animal that is acting aggressively towards them? I'm a huge dog lover but if I have a gun and a dog is acting that aggressive to me, I'm defending myself. In the end, my love for dogs doesn't supersede my love for living.

[HYHYBT]

Of course they say that. You assume they are telling the truth, when they have every incentive to lie?

[Hobbs]

Of course they say that. You assume they are telling the truth, when they have every incentive to lie?

Why do you assume guilt?

[MaggieTheCat]

I actually watched the video (the second one that the OP posted) which is what I garnered my "non-aggressive" opinion from. The video does not show the dog at all, you can only hear it barking. A dog barking at someone who busted down their family's front door and stormed into the house...wow, I'm shocked that it was barking at them. We still don't know whether it was aggressive or not based on the video, only on what the article says, and I'm not going to believe everything I read on the internet.

As far as shooting the dog three times...okay, fine, shoot it three times (even though it had to be in close quarters, this was a house, they were not shooting at it from 50 yards away.) Why shoot each dog 3 times? Only one dog was barking, and as previously stated, corgis are not aggressive dogs. And, as also previously stated, why shoot it again when the first shot obviously hit and injured it (again, based on the video and that the dog was whimpering badly after the first shot), then wait several seconds and fire several more rounds?

I still think it's pretty disgusting that they did not even ATTEMPT to calm the animal down, or ask the owners to put them in a carrier, or something. If I had a gun and an aggressive dog was barking at me, my first response would NOT be to shoot it. I guess that is how people differ, but to resort automatically to violence as the first step seems like way over-reacting.

[Kimmik]

Ok First off.. yeah it sucks that the kid was there...

A pit is going to get shot if it acts aggressive.. sorry those dogs were not bred to be lap dogs. I love animals.. but if a pit attacks your not going to get a second chance. I love pits I have been around some of the most lovable of them.. but I have also seen what happens when the go aggressive.

You also dont give the owner time to give an attack command. I am sorry but if you do drugs then you pay the price... yes pot has medical uses.. but I have also seen pot cause problems..

It is a sad thing that the dog was killed but I rather the dog then an officer.

[Hobbs]

why shoot it again when the first shot obviously hit and injured it (again, based on the video and that the dog was whimpering badly after the first shot), then wait several seconds and fire several more rounds?

I still think it's pretty disgusting that they did not even ATTEMPT to calm the animal down, or ask the owners to put them in a carrier, or something. If I had a gun and an aggressive dog was barking at me, my first response would NOT be to shoot it. I guess that is how people differ, but to resort automatically to violence as the first step seems like way over-reacting.

Guns aren't intended to hurt...they're intended to kill. Another part of firearms training is, "Never point at something you're not willing to kill."

When was barking not an aggressive stance, by the way?