2014/10/20
Mikael Thalen | InfoWars.com
“I lived beside these people, the dogs were never, never, aggressive” said a neighbor.
The body cam video, captured by Cleburne County Police Officer Kevin Dupre, was uploaded to Facebook this week after the dog’s owner petitioned police for the footage.
According to police, the deceased dog, known as Maximus, was reportedly growling at officers before its death. The dog’s owner, who posted an account of the incident to the “Justice 4 Maximus” Facebook page, vehemently disagreed.
“I kept calling the chief of cpd asking why this happened how it did bc he should have waited for animal control… He said, ‘Ma’am, you do not know how your dog’s act around other people,’” the post read. “The cop said in the report that the pup was aggressive and growling and charged at him… then we see the complete opposite in this video.”
Although the department originally refused to comment on the incident when contacted by journalist Matt Agorist, city officials have since released a public statement:
The City is obviously concerned about the video showing an officer shooting a dog. As is often the case, the short video does not tell the whole story.
The officer was responding to a 911 call for assistance. Three dogs had pinned some residents in a vehicle. One dog was secured without incident before the shooting.
The officer was attempting to secure the other dogs until animal control arrived when one dog became aggressive.
The City of Cleburne takes the safety of our residents, their pets, and our officers seriously.
This incident is currently under review. The review will include interviews with witnesses and review of department policies. Once the review is concluded, any actions that may be warranted will be handled swiftly and appropriately.
The Cleburne Police Department is seeking the public’s help if anyone observed this incident, please contact the Professional Standards Unit at 817.556.8884.
For the time being, the department has yet to reveal the fate of the second dog, which can be seen standing near the first shortly before its death.
While police allege that the dog “became aggressive,” many noted the dog’s calm demeanor and wagging tail on social media.
RELATED: Cop Intrudes on Private Property Without Permission and Shoots Family’s Dog in the Head
“Yeah, tails wagging and calling them over to shoot them,” Donny Leek III posted to the department’s Facebook page. “All you have to do is admit what was done was wrong and fire the officer that did it, then arrest him. We don’t believe you guys anymore. You’ve done this to yourselves.”
Watch video below
UPDATE (12/20/2014) — NO CHARGES FOR COP WHO EXECUTED DOG
The Cleburne Times Review has reported that after an investigation into the incident, the cop who shot the dog will not be charged.
This is despite the fact that the officer can be seen on video calling the dog over and shooting it while it posed no obvious threat.
The Cleburne Times Review quotes Mayor Scott Cain as follows:
“We have a 28-page report,” Mayor Scott Cain said. “One of the most thorough reports of an investigation that I have seen. The long and short of it is that at the end of his conclusion he found that the officer did not violate any laws and that he was justified in the shooting.”