"Policeman Knocked" Owner Off Dog Before Detaining, Shooting It

[kpete]

Police fatally shoot dog at Adams Morgan festival.

Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, September 13, 2010

A D.C. police officer shot and killed a festival-goer's dog amid hundreds of onlookers in Adams Morgan on Sunday afternoon in an incident that was either completely justified or totally unnecessary, depending on whom you ask.

...........................
Sometime after noon on Sunday, two dogs started snapping at each other in the middle of a crowd enjoying cheese fries and funnel cake at the annual Adams Morgan Day festival on 18th Street NW. D.C. police officers soon got involved, and at some point, one of them shot and killed the larger dog, described as either a pit bull or Shar-Pei mix.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/12/AR2010091203938.html?nav=hcmoduletmv
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/9/13/898435/-Anti-Pit-Bull-Hysteria-Claims-Dogs-Life-in-DC

Through a spokesman, Parrot's foster dad Aaron Block issued the following statement:

Parrot is two-year-old dog for whom we have cared for almost a month. He has never bitten another dog and is regularly walked along 17th street during the busiest times of day without incident. He's extremely friendly.

Today, there was an unexpected scuffle between Parrot and a poodle. Aaron, subdued Parrot, who was wearing both a leash and a harness. To do so, he placed his hands in Parrot's mouth and held it open, which he has done when Parrot gets overexcited when romping in the apartment. As it had in the past, this calmed Parrot down.

At this point, the policeman knocked Aaron off of Parrot. The policeman put his knee in the middle of Parrot's back while pulling Parrot's forelegs behind him, as one would do with an armed criminal. Without waiting to determine whether this technique would calm Parrot, the policeman grabbed Parrot, lifted him off the ground, and brought him to the top of the concrete staircase. He threw Parrot over the banister, down twelve steps, and onto the concrete floor. Then, the policeman stood at the top of the stairs, drew his weapon, and executed Parrot. Aaron cannot recall the number of shots fired.

http://dcist.com/2010/09/spokesperson_officer_knocked_owner.php

[Swamp Rat]

1. Dog murderer

eom

[kpete]

2. savage beast

the policeman, that is, kpete

[opihimoimoi]

4. Do ya believe it??? How tragic and needless...the officer needs to be in Jail and sued.

Has the POLICE STATE gone over board?

You Betcha

[antigone382]

21. No, no, it was totally justified!

Police and others had a different perspective.

Jacob Kishter, commander of the 3rd Police District, said that once the officer pushed the dog down the stairwell, "the dog immediately turns and runs at the officer aggressively." The officer, 25-year-veteran Scott Fike, fired one shot, fatally wounding the dog, which police described as a pit bull.

Yeah, it's totally crazy for a dog to decide you're his enemy after you THROW HIM DOWN A STAIRWELL.

Granted, I don't know all the details of the situation. It's possible the officer thought the owner of the dog, who had his hand in the dog's mouth to prevent further fighting, was in immediate danger. But based on most eyewitness accounts the dog was already under control before he was thrown down the stairs.

One of my most haunting memories is watching my stepfather kick the family dog down the front porch steps when I was a kid (she was barking at him while he was beating one of my older brothers). She sure as hell didn't get back up and charge after that...she was completely dazed for several minutes. I don't see how this dog could have fared any better, particularly since I'm assuming he landed on concrete.

[opihimoimoi]

65. Lack of Empathy leads to these kinds of incidents....the officer should be fired and sued

[Confusious]

123. If the owner had the dog subdued

Totally unjustifiable.

[antigone382]

126. Yep. And like I said, I doubt the dog could even get up after being thrown down a stairwell.

I've seen a dog get kicked down a stairwell. It took her several minutes to recover, and she landed on soft ground, not concrete, like I imagine this dog did.

[Marnie]

152. Of course the dog charged back up the stairs

the cop had just attacked him and his owner. It is his responsibility to protect the Alpha member of the pack.

In any case why did the cop throw the dog down the stairs in the first place?
Either to kill or cripple it, or to enrage it so that the bastard would have an excuse to shoot it.
It looks to me as though the intent all along was to kill the animal regardless. The cop figured a way to give himself enough time, to get his gun out, by throwing the dog down the stairs. It was deliberate. It was violent. It was unnecessary.

He recklessly fired in a crowd without attention to where the bullet(s) might go if they missed or passed through the dog.

There did not seem to be any effort by the cop to find out what was actually happening, he reacted to the unknown with unnecessary violence that lead to an unnecessary killing.

That is not peace keeping, that it assault.

[another saigon]

62. coward

and probably has a penis the size of a rooster. :grr:

RIP Parrot.

:(

[Name removed]

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[feslen]

76. SICK

too bad animal murderers are not ...erm...jailed justifiably.

[Ignis]

117. No kidding.

What a horrible story. :puke:

And this cop is one of the guys who's supposed to be looking after public safety?

[mike_c]

3. pig....

:grr:

[Lorien]

64. +1.

:grr:

[ceile]

5. OMG

I feel nauseous after reading that....

[louis-t]

6. I must say, I was surprised this doesn't happen more often.

Some of the malls and parks near me are now allowing dogs. I expected, at the very least, incidents of barking, snapping, and growling on a regular basis. After spending 4 days at one of the malls on business, I saw not one incident. Didn't even hear a dog bark. Not one. I am assuming most pet owners take into consideration how their pet will react to crowds and avoid bringing them if they feel the animal will react poorly.

[a la izquierda]

55. Exactly!

I have three dogs. Two of my dogs would be perfectly fine in a situation like that. One would be okay in a situation like that to a degree, but not for very long. I would never, EVER bring him to a place like that, because I know how antsy he can be. And one antsy dog can create negative energy in the best of dogs.

[provis99]

7. if I had a dime for every pit bull owner who said their dog isn't vicious...

[Name removed]

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[hobbit709]

12. If I had a nickel for everyone that said that...

[Swamp Rat]

13. Flamebait n/t

[Name removed]

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[Beaverhausen]

24. Did you even fucking read the article?

[provis99]

58. yes. It said the pit bull bit three people, including a cop.

That's grounds for the doggie death penalty right there.

[ThomasQED]

68. Strange idea of justice you have there

3 bites = violent death

Assuming those 3 bites actually took place.

[Name removed]

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[antigone382]

127. No. That's what the cops said.

None of the witnesses (except the, umm...retired cop...said anything like that). They mostly agreed the situation was under control until the officer got involved.

[flvegan]

36. You'd be dead-ass broke.

[frylock]

41. 10 to 1 the poodle started it

[WillieW]

53. I agree. Little dogs can be very aggressive.

[Lorien]

63. Yep. The only dogs who ever attacked me were toy breeds. nt

[npk]

139. Poodles can be very aggressive

Everyone always thinks they are just these small little innocent dogs. My grandfather had a poodle when I was kid. Every Christmas my family would go over to his house and that dog would chase me and my brother all over the house barking at us and trying to bite us. Poodles typically like to rile up larger dogs, when they are being walked. This is very common in my neighborhood.

[fascisthunter]

50. which means...

nothing

[Lilith Velkor]

69. If I had a dime for every police department who said their cop isn't vicious...

I'd have a fuck of a lot of dimes.

[Frisbee]

87. If I had a dime for every cop who isn't a douche-bag...

on a power trip, I could probably but a cheeseburger at McDonalds. I doubt I could "super-size" it, however.

[Name removed]

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[northernlights]

70. hello?

Any dogs of any breed can get into a scuffle.

Now that I've read more about it, I'd blame the foster-parent more than anybody. He'd only had the dog for 2 months so he didn't know him well enough to take him into a large crowd. Introductions of rescues to other dogs and into crowds should be slow and controlled to ensure everything goes well and according to plan, until you know the ins and outs. He fucked up big time and Parrot paid with his life...

On the other hand, it's no surprise if Parrot did snap at the officer, considering how the officer treated him and his person.

[npk]

140. Good point

Dogs have every bit of complicated personalities as people do. They get agitated, nervous, scared, and will protect themselves when another person, such as a police officer, is being violent toward them or toward another person they love. Not too different from a human in that regard.

[blueamy66]

150. Exactly.

I had a beautiful, female Basset Hound who would, every now and then, snap at someone. She was just protecting me.

If a cop had shot her, I would have gone insane and would have probably been shot as well.

[louis-t]

93. Hey, not just pit bulls, either.

[no limit]

99. And you had to bring this up in this thread why? There was no reason to kill the dog

that is the point of this thread. Not wether or not your think pit bulls are dangerous.

[Name removed]

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[Wednesdays]

135. Well, here's another dime, buddy.

Here's our mean, vicious pit bull attacking our daughter...


Oh no! It's turning on me, now! Time to shoot!


Ignorance. x(

[npk]

141. That's adorable. n/t

[rasputin1952]

154. I have 2 pits, and it is all about the owner, not the breed...

My dogs will catch up to you, and lick to death before they'd bite w/o provocation. If someone kicks either dog, or does something else to harm them of me, sure, the dog any dog, is going to get fired up. We have a lot of kids in the neighborhood and they love the dogs, it's a big kissfest when they are out there. If I hav beaten them and taught them to be mean, they would be nightmares on 4 legs...abuse a chihuahua and you'll get a pint sized monster on your hands. It's all about owners and how they rear the dogs.

[Name removed]

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[charlie]

11. De-escalation is so quaint

A chance to use your exciting Robocop arsenal and show the citizenry whut's whut isn't an opportunity to be missed.

This is my Taser. There are many like it, but this one is mine. ZZZZZZZZTTT!!

[BrklynLiberal]

14. Most of the time I like dogs much better than I like people....

[hamsterjill]

88. Amen to that one!!!

n/t

[smalll]

119. That oft-repeated statement is Exibhit A in the abundance of evidence that proves that --

far too many animal people are misanthropic hate-filled wackos with dead souls.

Sayin'! :shrug:

[Wednesdays]

136. Maybe you've just chosen to ignore the many studies that show

that pet owners are more empathetic and do better in human relationships.

But who am I to interfere with your delusion?
:shrug:

[Name removed]

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[tourivers83]

33. As a dog lover and a person, oh screw it.

I have unfortunately recently learned a new word that I did not know existed. It is Shieldlicker and is defined as someone who defends the police regardless of circumstance and all logic.

:mad:

[fascisthunter]

51. I Cal them the Wannabe-Brain-Dead

[disillusioned73]

83. ShieldLicker... very useful and

appropriate for this thread..

I have a pitbull, and love her to bits... she is very protective of my 2 year old son. We actually had people question if we planned to "keep" her when he was born. I can't stand when people buy the media slant of these dogs. As is the case with guns, the problem in the equation is PEOPLE.....

[Chulanowa]

115. I always used "Bluenoser" n/t

[asdjrocky]

15. Big hero. nt

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[KansDem]

16. Looking at the photo of the cop on the dog...

Who would have thought a knee to the back of the neck works just as well on dogs as it does on humans...:sarcasm:

[Boudica the Lyoness]

17. It's not about the breed of the dog

but about the pig who killed him.

Before any one else gets hurt, he needs to be disarmed.

[Amaril]

19. OMG! (wiping away a tear) n/t

[Blue Owl]

20. JFC

What the hell kind of police state is this???

[npk]

144. That's because there is very little accountability

The people who were supposed to be watching the cops are not doing a good enough job. So cops like this police officer feel free to do whatever they damn well please. They have almost an entire rank and file population that believe these people are our sworn protectors and capable of no evil doing. What are people like "you", "me" or "us" going to do about it. They are the ones with the guns. All we have is our voice and lap dog (no pun intended) media to help us. It isn't a fair fight anymore. The police literally can do whatever they want. Look at the cop out in SF that killed the un-armed train rider. This man was lying face down on the pavement, was not a threat to ANYBODY, including the officers there, and the police officer still shot and killed him. THIS WAS MURDER that was actually caught on tape. THAT"S RIGHT IT WAS CAUGHT ON FUCKING TAPE and the officer basically walked off with a slap on the wrist with involuntary manslaughter. That's the equivalent of running a traffic light and killing somebody in a car accident.

The fight against corrupt cops is the smallest, quietest war being waged. Sadly, of all the wars, it's actually the one that is most impactful on everyone's lives in this country. But the people largely do not care anymore. That is until THEY become the victim of police brutality and corruption.

[Bonhomme Richard]

22. That is one of the sickest things I have read. n/t

[Arkansas Granny]

23. Reading the update at the bottom of the link you posted, there seems

to be more to this story than was originally reported. I am not defending the actions of the officer, but according to the update the dog had bitten 3 people in addition to the other dog. On the surface, it sounds as though the officer overreacted and I do not condone abusing or executing an animal until the facts are established, but I'm not going to make a judgment in this without knowing all the facts.

[Beaverhausen]

25. that update is according to one person who may or may not have the facts straight

[kristopher]

26. That police officer is a craven coward that has no business roaming around armed.

nt

[xchrom]

27. That officer should be fired and jailed.

Not necessarily in that order.

[w4rma]

80. He should be. The dog was already restrained, but the officer really really wanted to do it himself.

So badly that he had to unrestrain the dog by pushing the owner off the restrained dog, endangering everyone in the process. And later on endangering everyone in the area by needlessly firing his firearm in the direction of a hurt dog 12 stories away.

[yellowcanine]

86. That is according to the handler, who is not exactly a credible witness.

And who is rationalization his behavior saying things like "Dogs bite each other." Yes they do, when poorly trained handlers take a poorly socialized dog into a situation which the dog is not ready for.

[xchrom]

95. you have -- imo -- painted an accurate picture. nt

[Name removed]

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[MadHound]

29. So how long before we the people realize that we have more to worry more about the police

Than we have to worry about criminals? That is the direction our society is headed.

[stuntcat]

30. heartbreak

fycking heartbreak. The little dog had love, and people who loved him. This is terribly horribly wrong :cry:

[kdmorris]

31. They would have to tase the shit out of me to get me off that cop

if he did that to my dog. Maybe even shoot me. But, if I managed not to get shot to death, I would most certainly be arrested.

[SammyWinstonJack]

110. +1

:thumbsup:

[datasuspect]

129. it doesn't take much "tase" to make people compliant

[yellowcanine]

32. I am trying to figure this out. If the handler had the dog on a leash, how was it able

to snap at and bite another dog walking by? Also this handler had no business taking a rescue dog that he had only been taking care of for a few weeks to a public event where there would be crowds, small children, and other dogs. It sounds as if the cop might have indeed overreacted and was ill trained to handle the situation. But the dog handler was also really at fault here and made some basic dog handling mistakes.

[tourivers83]

35. Could have been the Poodle.

Have you ever owned a Poodle? I do and they are the most protective and the most aggressive dog if need be you could imagine.

[Pavulon]

40. The other dog was a toy breed. I own GSD's

and do not bring them to places they are going to interact with strange dogs or children that poke their eyes or yank their ears. Never had a bite incident.

Here is the video from local tv. Not enough info to determine if shooting was necessary. I generally lean towards not firing a weapon unless it is required to prevent death or serious injury.

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/dc/dc-police-officer-shoots-dog-at-adams-morgan-festival-091310

[RamboLiberal]

43. To be fair the Bichon did suffer a couple of broken bones

in it's leg in the attack.

I think the officer may have overreacted a bit. Strange he was a K9 handler.

Wish there was film.

I really can't say on this one who the hell was wrong.

Obviously if Parrot attacked the Bichon he wasn't quite the gentle dog his handler thought he was.

And yeah I know the little woofers are not exactly innocent either - more than one has come at my big dog - fortunately she seems to sense the little yappers are just an annoyance.

[Pavulon]

47. Yep. At the end of the day big dogs require more caution.

I would not take mine onto a crowd without a basket muzzle and pinch collar. And that is a calm 8 year old fixed male who I know is super low key.. Even without some event like this this one, it is a liability to have any large breed around a crowd.

Lots of people own dogs and dont understand them. I mean make no attempt to learn how to handle them.

Any dog I have not handled since it could fit in my hand will always be an unknown. I WOULD NEVER trust it not to act like a dog...

Whole situation is a shame.

[yellowcanine]

46. By the handler's account in the WPost the dog bit the poodle, not the other way around.

It is still possible that the poodle was being aggressive, but clearly the handler was not paying enough attention to his dog. In a situation like that one needs to anticipate potential problems and steer away from them, down your dog with a voice command, or whatever - you do not allow something like that to happen. If you don't have enough control over the dog to do that you have no business being there.

[RamboLiberal]

48. The dog attacked was a little Bichon

who suffered a couple of broken bones in its leg. Video of the Bichon and owner posted in Post 40. From her description it sounds like a nasty attack on her dog.

[freedom fighter jh]

79. A leashed dog can still bite.

It happened to me once. I was cycling on a pedestrian/cyclist path. I saw an older woman approaching from the other direction with a dog on a leash. I slowed down and went as far to the right as I could. The dog must have overpowered the owner, I don't know, but he bit my leg. The owner (who could not speak English) was in denial -- she just wanted to walk away. In my mind I saw a lot of potential medical expense and wanted her to get the tab (rather than have it come out of my kids' college fund) so I pulled up my pant leg and showed her all the blood. (There was a lot.) She was stunned.

[yellowcanine]

84. Yeah I know. But if the handler knows what he/she is doing, they should be able to prevent it.

First of all, with a dog you have known less than a month you should have it on a choke chain which gives you some way to control the dog if it bolts toward someone. Secondly, you should be choosing your walking route to avoid pitfalls such as small yappy dogs since you know your dog is not that well socialized. In fact, you should not be anywhere near large crowds, because a poorly socialized dog is going to get tense in such a situation and be more prone to attacking another dog or a person. At the least, if there is no way to avoid the situation, you would put a muzzle on such a dog.

[RamboLiberal]

34. More

A picture is circulating online that seems to show the dog, a 2-year-old Shar-Pei mix named Parrot, being controlled by the officer in the way his owner has described. The owner, Aaron Block, said even before this, he himself had the dog under control, and then an officer took him away.

Other witnesses have said the situation was more chaotic. Soleiman Askarinam, the owner of Spaghetti Garden, said several officers had to get the dog under control, and he felt police “did a good job” in controlling a volatile situation.

Tony De Pass, 67, a former D.C. police officer who lives in Northwest, said the dog snapped at the officer as the officer was holding it down, which prompted the officer to toss it down the stairwell. De Pass also said the dog charged at the officer before the shooting.

It’s important to note that police do not dispute that the officer had the dog pinned before the shooting. They simply dispute that the situation was totally under control at that moment in time.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/crime-scene/matt-zapotosky/should-police-have-shot-parrot.html

Charles Planck, also a resident, says, "It's a little dangerous to be firing guns in a crowd of 10,000 people. Also if you look at the space where they shot the gun, that bullet could ricochet anywhere."

The owner of the dog, Aaron Block, says "He bit a poodle on the foot. Dogs bite each other. It wasn't a major altercation. I broke it up. I was in the process of subduing him when the canine cop came and threw him down in that basement"

Block's hands bear some minor puncture marks where he put his hand in his dog's mouth to break up the scuffle. He says two-year-old Parrott had no history of biting. "He's a totally loving dog. He loves humans. I think he just got a little overwhelmed here with all the people."

http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=110901&catid=187

An officer with the D.C. police department shot and killed the dog outside The Brass Knob antiques store. ABC 7 reports say that the shooting followed an intense, two minute scuffle between the dog - possible a rottweiler or pit bull - and a "smaller" dog.

Police say the officer is an experienced canine handler and was trying to separate the dogs, when the dog attempted to or did bite him. The officer threw the dog down a stairwell in an attempt to injure the dog, but the dog charged and the officer opened fire.

http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/state/dc-officer-shoots-and-kills-dog

[msanthrope]

45. The cop is a canine handler? Interesting. n/t

[yellowcanine]

49. The more I read, the less respect I have for the handler. "Dogs bite each other. It wasn't a major

altercation. I broke it up....."

The hell it wasn't a major altercation. And there is a big difference between "mouth play" and biting in anger, which this dog clearly appeared to do. I don't believe for a minute that Block had things under control - he was not clued in as to what was going on.

If the cop was indeed an experienced canine handler I am inclined to believe that maybe he did what he had to do given the circumstances. It sounds as if this dog may have been completely out of control, regardless of Block's account - and he is simply not credible.

[provis99]

60. this "Aaron" guy admits the dog was even attacking him viciously.

It looks like an couple of eyewitnesses said he was mightily struggling with his own dog. What do we know about "Aaron", other than that he's mad that a cop shot his vicious dog? He sounds like a psychopathic liar so far.

[w4rma]

81. As opposed to a trained liar? (nt)

[yellowcanine]

85. I would not go that far. I think he is just in denial and rationalizing.

No one wants to admit that they might have screwed up and contributed to the death of a dog in their custody.

[Jester Messiah]

37. Goddamn thugs with badges.

Nothing presses my Berserk Button like animal cruelty. Someone should throw that asshole down a well and shoot him.

[Texasgal]

38. I am disgusted

and very sad al at the same time! What a fucking asshole!

[Name removed]

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[AspenRose]

39. Anne Arundel County, then Prince Georges County, now DC

Three dog shootings by police within the space of a few weeks.

Very sad.

[xchrom]

42. If they shoot your dog -- especially in front of others --

And no accountability comes to the police --
You and the witnesses become more
Pliable citizens.

[WillieW]

54. Pitbulls are not born aggressive. They made so by their owners.

Watch "Pit Boss" on Animal Planet

[Pavulon]

57. That is very true. I would not take any large breed dog, especially male

into a situation like that without a basket muzzle. Jury is out on the cop, but there is no question the person handling the larger dog made major errors.

[bigmonkey]

44. Summary Execution

I'm against it.

[WillieW]

52. despicable person shooting the dog.

[Name removed]

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[Glimmer of Hope]

56. Asshole. This isn't the first time a a cop has murdered a dog in DC.

[Name removed]

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[USArmyParatrooper]

59. No opinion here without video or proof - two conflicting stories

The police officer claims the dog charged at him. The owner claimed he didn't.

[RamboLiberal]

61. WPost has police report

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/metro/documents/dog_shot_police_report_09132010.pdf

Very short 2 page report.

[truth2power]

66. Bastard, worthless, cop! Dogs SNAPPING at each other? ....

I take my dogs to the dog park and occasionally a couple of dogs get into a fracas of sorts. The staff don't shoot them, though. They have an air horn which breaks up any disagreement pretty effectively.

Dogs will be dogs. There's a difference between a doggie disagreement and a knock down drag out dog fight. That fat-assed bastard with his knee crushing the (small) dog's neck makes me sick.

I believe in karma. Maybe the cop will die of a broken neck someday.

What kind of psychopaths are they recruiting for law enforcement these days? The cop threw the owner over a banister and onto a concrete floor and then shot his dog? Mother of God....

[yellowcanine]

78. With all due respect, a fracas at a dog park is a different thing altogether.

This was not a dog park. It was a public event with a crowd - little kids, old people, etc. The dogs were not "snapping at each other." One dog was attacking another one - the attacked dog ended up with a broken leg. The dog handler failed to control his dog. That is the bottom line reason his dog is now dead. Cops have to make an immediate judgment based on the situation and what they are observing. I am sorry that the dog is dead but it is the handler who is to blame for that. He should not have put the dog in that situation in the first place. And where I come from even at dog parks the handlers must control their dogs or leave with the dog if they can't and poorly socialized dogs are not permitted in the dog park in the first place.

[freebrew]

131. Explain that please.

Why does the officer have to make a split second decision? He had his knee on the dogs neck.

He made the decision to abuse the dog by throwing it down steps.
If he was a canine handler, his license should be revoked. He should be suspended until the truth comes out.

There didn't appear to be any reason to kill the dog, at least immediately.

I've had large dogs bite me, they do it out of fear mostly, a stern warning usually stops them.

[swishyfeet]

67. I call BS on the handler's story

An adult old pit bull you've had for less than a month and you place your hand in its mouth to hold it open and calm it down?

Seriously? Stop and think about that for a second.

He's either the dumbest pit bull handler ever, or he was ACTUALLY holding that mouth open to remove a poodle.

HE should be punished for getting his dog killed.

[flvegan]

71. Don't have much experience with pits do you?

I've gone into a fighting complex, picked up an injured dog with my bare hands and left with her. More than once. The next day, I was getting a soft mouth from her. I could take her food. She'd roll for me.

I could tell you a couple dozen stories like this, but you'd ignorantly call BS on them too. Is it always the case? Of course not. But it easily could be.

[KittyWampus]

143. Too bad the asshole owner of the pitbull (?) in the story didn't have your wondrous capabilities.

As it stands, his pitbull (shar-pei?) attacked a bichon/poodle mix, breaking that dog's leg, attacked other people trying to break them up and then punctured his owners hand in the process of attempting to subdue it.

Note- I'm not excusing the shooting but as so often happens, an animal dies because its owner was a stupid asshole who didn't know how to train/handle their pet.

[Mimosa]

90. I agree

He only had the dog for a month then subjects it to the stimulation of a crowd?

[TheMadMonk]

98. Indeed. Best way I know to make a dog let go AND ensure submision...

...in situations that demand it, is take the corners of the mouth and force them backwards. It also works rather nicely with biting children.

Either way the point is to achieve the minimum level of discomfort necessary to achieve compliance and ideally it should be arranged so that any struggles on the biter's part are what causes what is merely uncomfortable to become actual pain. Though a certain degree of pain may be necessary to effect a release.

It's quick, it's dirty, it's probably illegal in competition, but essentially it is much like any good sumbmission hold in the martial arts. The point is not to actually cause pain if it is at all avoidable. The point is to get the message across very clearly that a world of potential hurt is waiting just around the corner, but the choice to turn it is entirely up to them.

[mistertrickster]

120. I agree. Why did the two dogs get close enough to start fighting to begin with?

That's what the leash is for. Pull them back from other dogs.

[donheld]

72. Assholes

:grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr:

[proud2BlibKansan]

73. One more reason not to take your dog to events like ths

[Jamastiene]

74. So unnecessary.

Depressing.

The brutality of how the dog was treated is the worst part. It was so unnecessary.

:(

[JDPriestly]

75. Do police officers undergo psychological testing before they are hired and trained?

[Supply Side Jesus]

124. I did

over 800 questions and an interview with a shrink

many questions about animal cruelty and how "I feel" about it.

[JDPriestly]

146. Police work is very stressful. Maybe there just is no test that can predict

how well we will deal with stress as heavy as the stress police officers undergo.

Did you notice any tendency on the part of officers to compete for what I would call "macho points"? I'm wondering whether peer pressure pushes officers toward occasionally (and this happens rarely) act impulsively as this officer may have. I'm not sure this story is accurate. The officer may have seen the dog as a menace to people in the crowd -- and may have been right. We just don't know what went through his mind.

[LibertyLover]

77. Looking at the photo of the cop on top of the dog

I can't help but wonder how the police officer would handle a human being. Somehow the words "The officer discharged his weapon in the line of duty killing the prisoner who had viciously attacked him after accidentally falling down a flight of concrete stairs while in police custody." come to mind. This reminds me too much of the Siberian Husky shooting in Anne Arundel County, Maryland in late August. I am finding it increasingly difficult to tell my 8 year old daughter that the police are her friends and she can trust them. How can I when I don't trust them anymore?

[w4rma]

82. Some cops are out to arrest as many people as possible and will use every lie possible to do it.

Some will go as far as framing you to get their numbers up. No. Never trust a police officer and don't talk to them unless you need to.

Of course you should give the most accurate account of what you see to them and you should help with investigations as best as you can, but no, don't trust them.

[Mimosa]

89. Owners shouldn't take dogs into big crowds

I'm not excusing the cop's execution of the dog. However, it's clear Parrot's owner did not have adequate skill to control his dog.

I'm a major animal lover. I understand that most dogs can't cope well with the stress of a crowd where there may be other dogs. That's why there are professional dog trainers.

[Chulanowa]

116. Actually it seems like Parrot's owner knew exactly what to do to restrain his own dog

The cop just decided to prevent him from doing that so he could beat the dog up.

Let's not play this passive-aggressive method of blaming the victim, kay? Kay.

[RamboLiberal]

122. If Parrot's owner knew what he was doing why did the Bichon

end up with 2 broken bones in his leg? Fight never should have started.

[Chulanowa]

125. No, it shouldn't have; Sushi's owner is to blame for that

You don't let your animal run up to a strange dog. Which exactly what started this issue.

Both dogs are just dogs; one dog's owner was taking precautions, and the other dog's owner was a dumbfuck. The irony is that the dumbfuck isn't the one burying their companion today.

[Pavulon]

133. That was the lady whose dog was bitten? Or the guy who took an unknown large breed dog

to a public event without a pinch collar and a basket muzzle. That is what I would use on a dog I have had since it was a pup and whose nerves I know and trust.

For $60 bucks he could have prevented this.

[Chulanowa]

145. And for $0 the other dog's owner could have kept it on a shorter leash

Parrot's owner had every single right in the world to take his dog anywhere that dogs are allowed. He had him leashed and harnessed, and was apparently exhibiting proper dog etiquette.

Sushi's owner was the one unable to properly control her dog. It doesn't matter about breed, size difference, time of day, whatever, you do not allow your dog to run up to a strange animal. It's about as smart as letting your pet run around in the street, and then blaming the car who's tires it dives under.

[RamboLiberal]

138. Neither of us was there so I can't call either owner a dumbfuck

Both owners may be at fault. If you know dogs they usually give you clues with body language before the fight starts. You might have only a split second to react but you better be ready to pull your dog back.

[Pavulon]

132. No he was stupid. He should have had a basket muzzle on a rescue (unknown)

large breed dog of any type. this person made a major mistake and is liable for the injury to the other dog as well.

[datasuspect]

130. yep. people should keep their vicious, unpredictable creatures in their trailer parks

. . .

[Iggo]

91. Yay, Cops!

They're the best!

[hamsterjill]

92. This cop should not be on the streets

I am normally one of the first to defend policemen. They are, after all, the ones who do the thankless jobs, put themselves on the line, don't get paid well, etc. But, having said that, it takes a special type of mentality for someone to be a good police officer. It's not for everyone. And a "hot head" isn't the right type of personality. There are many who want to be police officers, but the screening process should get rid of most that don't have the right criteria to handle the job. We need the good ones and we need to get rid of the others. Because the "others" put the "good ones" in jeopardy during a crisis.

This police officer overreacted and should be investigated for doing so.

[Mimosa]

94. People should watch the video first

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/dc/dc-police-officer-shoots-dog-at-adams-morgan-festival-091310

[Supply Side Jesus]

128. This here is DU, we prefer to fly off the handle

Thanks for posting the video.

That other dog got fucked up! The cop is a K-9 handler as well? I wonder with all of the hundreds of hours of training and working with dogs, that perhaps he has a better understanding of the situation than the average Joe who witnessed it? I know several K-9 handlers, and they all love dogs and their partners are a part of their lives and families. I feel bad for everyone involved. The lady whose dog was attacked, the owner who loves animals and was trying to rehabilitate the dog after rescuing it. The cop who had to take action and destroy something I'm sure he cares about.

I curse the bastard who this dog was rescued from. I too often see people buy these dogs for status symbols and to enhance their masculinity.They raise them attached to heavy chains and raise them to be aggressive. Every year people are mauled in my town by pit bulls. I don't blame the breed, I blame those who abuse these poor creatures.

[RamboLiberal]

96. Owner of attacked dog supports police

Police have a new supporter in the Adams Morgan dog shooting case Sunday: the woman whose Bich-poo was attacked, sparking the whole mess.

Sheila Martins, 53, of Adams Morgan, said she was walking Sushi, a Bichon-poodle mix, on a leash down 18th Street in the middle of the Adams Morgan festival when the dog went to sniff what looked like a pit bull passing by, also on a leash. The other dog, whose owner has described it as a Shar-Pei mix named Parrot, attacked Sushi, Martins said, and a scramble ensued to separate the two.

Martins said she herself tried to pull Sushi away, but she “couldn’t do it.” Others, including police officers, also tried and failed, she said. It wasn’t until a man came and lifted Sushi directly up that the fight was broken up, she said. At that time, she said, the owner of the dog that looked like a pit bull was laying on top of his pet.

-----

"I could tell like how aggressive the dog was,” she said. “If he would start running around, he would attack somebody.”

Martins said that after she finished talking to police, she took Sushi to an animal hospital, where he stayed overnight. He has two broken bones and a large gash, she said, and she will find out Tuesday whether he needs surgery.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/local-breaking-news/dc/owner-of-dog-that-was-attacked-talks-about-incident.html

[mnhtnbb]

113. My rescue dog, Snowy, and I just started obedience training.

The teacher--who has won national awards with her dogs in field competitions--reinforced to us the #1 rule
when taking your dog out in public: NEVER approach another dog and owner to let your dog socialize without the owner's permission.

So--the woman with Sushi blew it big time.

It also sounds like Parrot's owner blew it by taking the dog out to the festival before he fully understood
how it would react to other dogs in the excited atmosphere.

The cop, once he isolated Parrot, should have called for animal control. He deserves to be suspended.
Pig.

[Pavulon]

134. I have handled GSD for 20 years. Large breed dogs

require their owners to take extra responsibility for their behavior. I have 2 rescue shepherds and 2 I have had since they were little. They all have different personalities and would ALL have a basket muzzle ($40 us) and a quality pinch collar ($20) to prevent this situation. Even if someones kid starts stomping them they can not inflict a bite.

Under no circumstance would I take a large breed dog into a crowd without both of those items. And that would only be a dog I had a very good grasp of.

[TexasObserver]

155. You handle big dogs smartly.

Even the best big dog can get upset in a crowd. Little kids are the worst about running up and grabbing a dog from behind, one that didn't see it coming. The instinctual response is to snap at the interloper in that direction. With small children, that's face level, and that's how many little kids get bitten by a big dog. It happens fast and no one is able to stop if before it happens. That's why either not taking them in crowds or using a muzzle makes sense.

I applaud you for being a reasonable big dog owner. Any dog can bite when provoked, but big ones bite worse and inflict more damage because of size.

[GSLevel9]

97. I wish I wouldn't have read the story...

what a terrible story... almost unbelievable. No punishment could be severe enough for the cop.

[lonestarnot]

108. I can't read it. Hugh ugh.

[gristy]

111. "Aaron, subdued Parrot, who was..."

I'm confused... :freak:

But bad writing aside, how does one grab a dog, lift him off the ground, carry him to the top of a staircase, and throw him over the banister? Vicious or otherwise? It doesn't make much sense to me.

[JCMach1]

112. Was this a case of pitbull profiling?

Ummmm policemen have always been a little slow on the uptake when it comes to things like this.

Horibble horrible horrible for the dog... :(

[OhioChick]

114. Disturbing to say the least n/t

[mistertrickster]

118. Forget the dog. This officer fired a pistol around a crowd of people.

Probably a pretty robust round too . . . like a .357, a 9mm, .40 or ..45 caliber.

That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of.

Unless the dog was tearing somebody's throat out, that is completely unhinged. The bullet(s) could have ricocheted and killed a by-stander.

[Chulanowa]

121. Unhinged cops unconcerned with public safety while comitting an act of mindless violence?

Next you'll tell me that the sky is of a bluish hue!

[Shining Jack]

137. What a sick fuck !

:cry:

[Joanne98]

142. FIRE HIM!

[era veteran]

147. You are shitting me

As I have said for years " Anybody who wants to be a cop probably shouldn't."

[jonathan_seer]

148. YOU DISHONESTLY CHANGED THE WORDING FROM THE ORIGINAL WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE - SHAME ON YOU

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/12/AR2010091203938.html

The OWNER OF THE DOG LITERALLY SAYS his dog started it...

Aaron Block, 25, of Dupont Circle said he was walking his 2-year-old Shar-Pei mix, Parrot, up 18th Street when the dog suddenly turned around and bit a poodle that was passing by. He said he separated the two dogs -- cutting his hand inside Parrot's mouth in the process -- and was subduing his dog when police arrived

THE OWNER ADMITS HIS DOG ATTACKED THE POODLE.

He stepped in and subdued his dog b4 it could do anything else.

I'm sure you think your re-wording should be considered minor, but it is a MAJOR distortion of the truth. It's outright dishonest.

If you love Pit Bulls, fine, many are wonderful dogs.

Pit Bull lovers discredit their own defense when they try to equate the lock jaw, bone crushing bite of a pit bull to a poodle, even a large standard poodle.

The JAW MUSCLES on that dog look like it could bite through a steal pipe.

The notion that such a dog when it bites is not a bigger worry than any other dog is ludicrous.

If the danger from a pit bull was NO more than a regular dog, any dog, than why not get a chihuahua as a protection dog, a yorkie or a poodle. Hell, why even bother getting a pit bull for protection if it's as lame as a yapping nipping chihuahua and as easy to subdue.

You know why. Again the dishonesty of SOME pit bull owners when they defend this type of dog does everyone a disservice.

They have been bred to fight for over 500 years from England.

A pit bull vs. another breed is like an every day joe going up against a UFC fighter.

Over the centuries, certain traits have definitely been brought out that make a pit bull far more powerful, and much quicker to resort to an outright attack than any other dog except Rots.

The "LITTLE DOGS DO IT TOO" defense is even more ridiculous.

The damage a dog, any dog, can do when it bites is the measure of the danger of the "wrongness" of the behavior.

A 5 pound insane chihuahua might be irritating, and could even deliver a nasty bite IF YOU LET IT by being so careless it gets a chance.

Many chihuahua could not maul/maim a human the way a full grown pit can.

A Pit Bull like that one MAKES ITS OWN OPPORTUNITIES - as any big dog can.

The difference is in the breeding.

Just as you canNOT raise a dog to have a different coat color than he was born with, so too you canNOT train the aggressiveness bred into the genes over 100s of years as a fighting dog.

The problem again is the owner who pretends those characteristics so valuable in the dog as a protector of the home are somehow "trainable" rather than genetically based, and thus UNpredictable.

And then you throw in the many pit bull owners almost always men who wrongly project their macho behavior and get a kick out of their pit bull chasing other dogs in the park.

There are many wonderful pit bulls, and I have to admit they are handsome dogs, but there is no excuse for owners of these dogs to let their personal love for their pit bull blind them to the obvious.

Ultimately it's the Pit Bull who will pay the price as it is across the nation.

When people who want to make reasonable changes are confronted with a inappropriate "ideological" stance by pit bull owners, the result is almost always the same.

Sooner or later the pit bull owners are shut out of the conversation, because they are obstructing and doing their best to make sure NOTHING is done.

Once kicked out of the room so to speak, their views are no longer heard and the most extreme laws enacted.

[LWolf]

149. Shouting at people generally doesn't make them pay more attention,

or more respect, to what you have to say. For the record, the OP isn't quoting the original WP article.

The quote comes from the dcist article linked at the bottom of the post, and IS a quote from the owner of the dog. That quote has not been changed.

[sulphurdunn]

151. Anyone who can do that to a dog

will eventually do it to a person.

[rasputin1952]

153. The cop is, from what I can gather of this story, a sadist....

taking the dog up a concrete staircase and threw him over the banister... then shot the dog, w/people around...this cop is seriously insane...:grr:

[NorthCarolina]

156. When you walk around with a gun on your hip everday

the urge to shoot something, anything, living will eventually overpower common and morality sense for some. That is the main reason I am totally against open carry laws. If you consider that a trained police officer could not constrain this urge to kill something, then what are the chances that Joe six-pack can?