|
|
Findlay police accusing caretaker in shot-dog case
Housemate to be charged in their escape from yard
FINDLAY — Findlay police are seeking a minor misdemeanor charge in a case in which police say two loose dogs charged an officer, leading him to shoot and kill one of them.
Police Chief Greg Horne said the charge will not be against the dogs’ owner, Patricia Lammers, but against a man who lives with Ms. Lammers in her Putnam Street home. Chief Horne said Keith Thompson was responsible for the dogs when they escaped from the fenced backyard while Ms. Lammers was away last week.
“It’s unfortunate that it happened,” the chief said. “You hate to be in that situation.”
According to a police report, Capt. Sean Young was off duty and on his way home at 5:18 p.m. Dec. 3 — still in uniform and driving an unmarked city vehicle — when he saw two loose dogs menacing a United Parcel Service deliveryman on foot in the 1000 block of West Sandusky Street.
Joshua Launder, of Arlington, Ohio, said in his written witness statement that the dogs were “running aggressively toward me.”
“One was barking at me and acted quite mean,” he said.看来学会一些狗的行为模式很有帮助
When the dogs ran off, Captain Young requested an additional unit and continued to search for them, encountering resident Jonathan Anderson, who indicated the dogs were aggressive.
Mr. Anderson walked out to Putnam Street to tell the officer, who had parked his car two houses down from Ms. Lammers’ home, where he thought the dogs lived.
The officer said the dogs ran at him from between houses across the street while barking.
“Their heads were held low and they began to spread out as if to attack from two sides,” Captain Young wrote. “Both dogs were fixated on me and kept their eye on me.”
After drawing his service weapon, Captain Young said one of the dogs, a black-and-white “pit bull” named Kirby, stopped. The officer said a tan boxer named Chase continued to approach, and he shot it twice at a distance of about 8 feet. 射击距离
The officer was on the radio again calling for assistance, and the shots can be heard on the recording. The department does not have cameras in its vehicles or body cameras for officers.
Kirby retreated and fled to Ms. Lammers’ home when called by Mr. Thompson, but Chase allegedly growled and was getting back up when the officer fired the third and fatal shot. 最后补枪
Captain Young declined to comment. A review by Lt. Robert Ring of the Findlay Police Department that was completed Monday determined the captain did not violate any department policies.
Chief Horne said because Captain Young, who owns dogs himself, is an administrative officer, he does not carry a baton, pepper spray, or a stun gun.
Mr. Anderson said he had a clear view of the entire incident.
“If that was me, I would have thought he was going to bite me,” Mr. Anderson said, referring to Chase. “Honestly, I think that officer had every right to do it. That dog was coming at him like he was going to do something.”
Ms. Lammers said the dogs, who are properly licensed, have gotten loose a number of times by squeezing under the 4-foot-high chain-link fence. She has been using various materials to reinforce the fence, trying to prevent them from escaping. An electric wire runs through the fence, but shorted out and is not working.
“I’ve tried everything,” Ms. Lammers said. “I honestly don’t know how they’re getting out.”
Mr. Thompson said he had let the dogs out in the backyard to urinate. When he called them in about five minutes later, they did not return. So he went to the front door and saw Kirby crouched down on the sidewalk.
“I knew something was wrong,” he said. “I told him to get his butt inside and he ran in.”
Captain Young then informed him he had shot Chase.
“I couldn’t believe he shot the dog,” Mr. Thompson said. “It upset me to no end and I’ve been upset ever since.”
He said he did not see what happened or hear the shots. He said Kirby is skittish, but Chase is more forward.
“He has a tendency to try to be boss,” Mr. Thompson said. “That’s just his personality. But he’s never bitten anyone.”
Ms. Lammers said the dogs were pepper-sprayed by a mail carrier several months ago when they got out and approached her, with Chase getting the brunt of it. No report was filed in that incident, but Ms. Lammers said the woman was scared but not injured. 曾经有攻击人历史，被spray喷过
Neither the Hancock County dog warden’s office nor the Findlay Police Department have reports or complaints about Chase or Kirby on file.
The owner said she is focusing on trying to figure out what happened and on protecting Kirby. At this time, she does not plan to seek disciplinary action against Captain Young or the department, nor does she intend to file a lawsuit.
“I just don’t want them to take Kirby,” Ms. Lammers said. “I don’t believe what happened to Chase is right, but I wouldn’t go after the town. I don’t believe in suing.”
One of the department’s previous K-9 dogs, a Belgian Malinois named Flip, was shot and killed by a resident who felt threatened by him after the dog escaped from his handler’s home. K-9警犬似乎也不能掉以轻心
“We know firsthand how that feels,” the chief said.
|
|
发表于 2014-12-10 13:53
收藏
提升卡
变色卡
千斤顶
发表于 2014-12-10 14:13
楼主