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Dog killed during welfare check
A Los Angeles police officer shot and killed a dog named Jameson during a June 13 welfare check at Marie Marseille’s Canoga Park apartment, after a neighbor called for help because she heard screaming.
“CANOGA PARK, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The owner of a dog who was shot and killed by LAPD officers in Canoga Park is now suing the city of Los Angeles”
Marseille, 45, sued the city’s police department, alleging the officer “fired multiple shots and killed Jameson in cold blood, without trying to calm Jameson down, or giving Plaintiff a chance to calm or quiet Jameson down,” and the suit says Jameson “had not bitten anyone, had not charged the officers, or done anything that would have signaled an imminent threat of serious bodily harm.”
Body camera footage released last month captured officers fretting over the dog’s size, with one officer saying, “Jeez, that’s a big a** dog,” before Jameson ran out the door and headed toward an officer while barking.
The shooting happened after officers asked Marseille to put the dog away, and when she returned the officer asked if the dog was put away as Marseille said, “Sorry. He’s not…he’s not aggressive at all. I apologize.”
LAPD review and mayor calls
The LAPD said it does not comment on pending litigation, while its critical incident review division is scrutinizing the shooting and will forward findings to the chief of police and a civilian police review board.
LAPD chief Jim McDonnell wrote on X that “The loss of a pet is deeply personal,” adding that “For many, a dog is not simply an animal; it is a companion, a source of comfort, and a member of the family.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said after body camera footage was released that “This shooting makes clear that while LAPD provides officers with written guidance on the use of force and pets, this is not enough,” and she called for a review of LAPD’s policy regarding the use of force against animals.
In the federal complaint, Marseille alleges the officer violated LAPD policy governing the use of force against animals and that officers are authorized to use force against an animal “only when the animal poses an immediate threat of injury,” while the suit says training was not applied in the situation.
Lawsuit seeks damages, scrutiny grows
Marseille’s lawsuit seeks damages and alleges the officer was negligent, used excessive force, and lacked proper training when he fired multiple shots into the family’s 2-year-old dog named Jameson.
“A Los Angeles family filed a lawsuit against the city after an officer shot and killed their dog while they celebrated the New York Knicks' championship win”
CBS News reported that lawyers for Marie Marseille and her family wrote in the complaint that the officer “killed Jameson in cold blood,” and the suit also says the officer “fired multiple shots and killed Jameson in cold blood” without trying to calm the dog.
The family’s attorney plans a news conference on Tuesday about the lawsuit, and a GoFundMe organized in Jameson’s memory has raised more than $248,000.
The Independent also cited the Justice Department’s estimate that police kill approximately 10,000 pet dogs per year, while the LAPD’s Internal Affairs Division is investigating the officer involved in the June 13 shooting.
