Controversy Surrounds Police Shooting of Pet Dog in Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Police Department has released body camera footage of an officer shooting a woman’s pet dog. This incident has caused international criticism and raised concerns about the police use of force.

Last Saturday, a 2-year-old golden saint berdoodle named Jameson was shot by a police officer outside an apartment. The officers were responding to reports of a woman screaming, unaware she was celebrating a basketball victory.

The footage includes video from both officers’ body cameras. It shows them approaching the apartment door after receiving a call reporting continuous screams. They were asked to perform a wellness check after a neighbor expressed concern over hearing a woman screaming “Oh, my god” for 20 minutes.

Upon arriving, the officers knock on the door and identify themselves as police, as shown by a timestamp indicating it was nearly 9 p.m. A woman, not identified in the video, answers the door. A gray dog wearing a blue shirt emerges, barking at the entrance. As this occurs, one officer draws his handgun while requesting the woman to restrain her dog.