Fatal dog shooting in Canoga Park prompts calls for LAPD to release body cam footage
Calls grow for transparency after shooting of dog
A Canoga Park woman says she watched an LAPD officer fatally shoot her dog, Jameson, outside her apartment after officers responded to a 911 call Saturday night.
LOS ANGELES - The community is demanding answers after the fatal shooting of a beloved family dog in Canoga Park over the weekend.
What we know:
What started as a celebration of the New York Knicks’ first championship in 53 years ended in tragedy for Marie Marseille and her family.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: LAPD officer shoots and kills woman's dog during investigation in Canoga Park
On Saturday night, Marseille was watching her team win the title alongside her Golden Saint Berdoodle, named Jameson, who was also wearing a Knicks jersey.
At some point during the festivities, the Los Angeles Police Department was called to the condominium complex following reports of loud voices and a possible domestic dispute between two women. Marseille says she told officers she was alone.
"Oh no, it's just me," she told officers.
Once officers arrived at the scene, Marseille was asked to put the dog away while they conducted their investigation. Marseille said Jameson managed to slip outside and, a short time later, was fatally struck by police gunfire.
In an exclusive interview with FOX 11 News, Marseille said she was standing so close to Jameson when he was shot that a casing struck near her feet.
"I heard two shots, but there were, I think, a total of four," Marseille said.
"I smelled the sulfur from the bullet. That's how close I was to him," she said.
Video of her reaction posted to social media has garnered millions of views, drawing thousands of comments expressing anger over the incident. The video has now been viewed more than 18 million times.
What they're saying:
There are now mounting calls for the LAPD to release body camera footage and the names of the officers involved.
Najee Ali of the National Action Network is calling for the immediate release of body camera footage worn by the officers involved.
"The video should be released immediately to show there's transparency and also accountability within the department, because unfortunately, the LAPD has a history of controversial shootings of Black people, and now they're killing and shooting Black people's dogs," Ali said.
"All they had to do, once they realized she was okay, was just leave," he added. "Instead, this dog is now dead."
Kris Kelley of the Kris Kelley Foundation is also demanding the officer be identified publicly.
"I'd like to know the name of the officer who did that, the name of the officer that needs training," Kelley said. "I think the public deserves that answer."
Local perspective:
The deadly shooting comes as pressure mounts to reform LAPD oversight. Part of the demands from local groups include expanding the city’s ability to discipline officers involved in incidents like the one in Canoga Park.
SUGGESTED COVERAGE: Pressure mounts to reform LAPD oversight during City Council meeting
The other side:
In a press release, the LAPD said the shooting occurred after the dog "charged" at an officer, adding that they had previously asked the owner to secure the pet.
In a statement to FOX 11, the department said, "She re-opened the door, and the dog exited the apartment. Once outside of the apartment, the dog charged at one of the officers, resulting in an Officer-Involved Shooting."
Marseille disputes that account.
"I don't understand how you are so scared as a police officer, as a person of authority, being so scared of a dog coming towards you, not even showing any type of aggression," she said. "The first action is to pull a gun on a defenseless dog? That doesn't make any sense to me."
FOX 11 obtained LAPD Use of Force Tactics Directive No. 7.2, which outlines protocol for dog encounters. According to the department's guidelines, officers are expected to attempt voice commands, pepper spray and a baton before resorting to lethal force. The directive also states officers must consider the background and the possibility of a ricochet before firing, noting that a bystander could be critically injured by a bullet intended for the dog.
Marseille says the officer skipped every other option.
"I wish there was some kind of protocol, training, something," she said. "It's just a defenseless dog."
The LAPD says the shooting remains under investigation. Marseille says she wants that investigation to be unbiased and wants to make sure no other family goes through the heartache and trauma she has endured.
The Source: This report is based on statements from pet owner Marie Marseille from a previous FOX 11 report, on-scene social media video footage, a formal press release from the Los Angeles Police Department, and a press conference with Najee Ali representing the Los Angeles National Action Network.