On Sunday morning, Coral Springs Police Officers shot and killed a dog that showed signs of aggression after the dog charged officers during a foot pursuit.
Around 3:51 a.m., Coral Springs Police officers were dispatched to the area of 10600 NW 37th Street regarding a complaint about loud voices and yelling.
As officers arrived in the area to investigate, several subjects who were standing near a vehicle saw the officers, then suddenly fled on foot to the rear of several residences. As officers proceeded, they passed through a gate left open by the fleeing individuals and entered the backyard of a home where they encountered a very large dog. The dog, according to police, began to show signs of aggression toward the officers by barking and advancing in their direction. That is when the officers began to slowly retreat in the direction they entered at which time the dog charged at the officers. Fearing for their safety, both officers discharged their weapon, striking the dog several times. The dog stopped advancing and fell to the ground.
Members of the Coral Springs Police Department Humane Unit responded to tend to the injured dog which was taken to Coral Springs Animal Hospital for treatment. The owner of the dog was contacted and advised of the injuries and options that could be provided by the animal hospital.
Ultimately it was decided by the owner that the dog would be euthanized.
Edited: 7:40 pm – Officer Brad McKeone contributed report that Animal Hospital reports breed was Pit Bull. Owner reports dog was American Bulldog. Editor regrets error.
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- Editor of Talk Media and writer for Coral Springs Talk. CST was created in 2012 to provide News, Views, and Entertainment for the residents of Coral Springs and the rest of South Florida.
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113 comments
Amazing, a dog shot on his own property and the writer still manages to blame him for his own death. I understand the officers felt threatened and fired to protect themselves, but let’s be fair to the dog. They ran on his property in the dark, guns in hand, dog reacts. It was a tense moment that ending tragically for the dog. I wonder if the dog’s breed would have been mentioned at all if it had not been a pit bull.
This information was provided by Coral Springs PD. As a pet owner myself, my heart goes out to the owners of Bandit.
My issue is with the tone of the article. The breed was pointed out not once but twice making it quite obvious that his DNA was justification enough.
Why didn’t you adhere to the practices of proper journalism and obtain information from the dog owners and their neighbors, as well as any other possible witnesses you could locate? As it happened, all you did was to provide a broadcast platform for the PR blurb issued by a police spokesperson.
I would like to know how much youre paid to put out the police report instead of getting the owner’s view on the murdering cowards who killed their dog? What happened to real journalism? Maybe someone should get both sides of the story.
Actually, this report was from the Coral Springs Police Department and after sitting around the table tonight during Passover discussing Bandit, I am seeing things far differently. First of all, unfortunately there are no stand your ground laws for dogs. My standard poodle would have done the same thing as Bandit, although I don’t understand why the dog was outside at 3 in the morning, which seems baffling as our dogs are considered family and sleep indoors. But that is besides the point. The main point is the officers chased a non violent person onto private property and killed someone’s animal. I believe the family should complain to city officials, and also to the animal clinic who is telling the press that your dog was a pit bull.
Now you are on to something…Why was the dog out at 3:51am? Why were people yelling at that house at 3:51 am to the point that the police had to be called? what was going on there?? Why did several subjects run from the police and where did they go? Maybe inside the dog owner’s house???? Dont you think the police would have paid for the treatment if the owner was not involved in some way??? Seems like the owner is not so innocent…..
No one is arguing that my family was causing a disturbance The problem is that he was killed on PRIVATE PROPERTY. He was a GUARD DOG!
So you are trying to blame the police because your family and friends were causing a disturbance, and blame the police because someone called them about the disturbance, and blame the police for responding, and blame the police for investigating why people ran from them at 3:51am. It is a sad situation that the dog ended up dying. But it’s not like the police set out that night with the intent to shoot a dog. They were doing their job and an unfortunate situation took place. Blaming others is a common coping mechanism, so I guess that is your way of getting through this. But the facts are that if your family was not causing a disturbance to the point that the police had to be called and had the people at the house not run from the officers, this situation would have never taken place. Next time tell your family/friends to talk to the officers instead of running.
They CHARGED my backyard. In the common world that trespassing but because of a badge thats okay. I understand that when responding to a noise complaint 8-15 officers are not sent to a house with MASSIVE weapons and a riot shield. I also understand that no officer is permitted to enter a home without probable cause and fleeing individuals are not suffice to justify rushing in. The dog was 20 feet away. Look at evidence before writing things off due to hooligans. Its Spring Break and the house is filled with kids who dont want to get in trouble. Once again the reality is lost to the dim and pompous. Not justifying, just asserting the FACT that wrong was done and i seek justice. This is not the first case in which officers have murdered animals on “safety precautions”.
The article says there where two officers there… Why where there 8-15 officers with a riot shield? What were you guys doing??? Where were the parents??? sounds like we are not getting the full story from you here… So far from what I’ve gathered is that you are 16 and you had a party which led to some sort of disturbance/yelling, the police were called, the people outside ran from the police into your backyard, the police followed and your dog ended up being shot. When does the riot shield come into play? What happened after the dog was shot, obviously something if you are saying 8-15 officers with a riot shield were there. the saga continues…….
Its actually a saga about how my family is harassed by the police department due to the decisions of my brothers. It is none of your business what was happening at the house. Once more ill reiterate the fact that this is about my dog being killed. You do not seem to understand that fact.
And my point is that you are trying to take a small part of a larger incident and make it seem as if the police acted improperly. Obviously there is more to this story.
Obviously you see no wrong in a dog being shot for no reason. He was not attacking, he was protecting his home.BANDITS DEATH IS NO SMALL THING! how dare you belittle the harsh reality. Im not defending the house. Im defending the victim who cant speak up. His blood had no place being shed . I highly doubt a noise complain was much more than youve convinced yourself it was. The issue is my dog and once more youve forgotten that.
The dog’s death is unfortunate, I said that already. But you said there were 8-15 officers with a riot shield. That’s not a response to a noise complaint. Something else must have happened
You sound like a heartless, disingineous shill.
Why don’t you do some RESEARCH before you open your stupid mouth (or write this drivel). We have cops acting like mini-military units to do the simple, everyday things ONE cops would have done a few years ago. Keep up with the times we’re living in.
No, this jerk is intent upon defending the cops (thugs) REGARDLESS of the right or wrong of the situation. He’s probably a cop. If not, he’s one of those people who will defend ANYONE with a badge because he assumes that if cops go to your house you DESERVE to have them there. He doesn’t care that often they burst through the WRONG house because they can’t read house numbers and terrorize families, including children (one recent example involved kids singing hymns for an Easter pageant). They kill the family dog of the WRONG family in front of the ENTIRE family, including children who are then traumatized for life. This bozo doesn’t care about any of that because he won’t take the time to even find out that this problem has become an epidemic in this country. One can only hope the cops misread a street sign and end up at his house one day: maybe then he’ll get it.
If you have not figured it out yet, your kind LIES!!!! They lie because they have nothing below their belt. They are cowardly sheep losers kind of like most of the american public has become. Believe the media and the press release from the enemy themselves.
There are non-lethal methods of dealing with animals that can be utilized.
And dogs CAN be kept IN the house and NOT left out in a yard where they are exposed to this kind of crap.
You are trying to stick up for the cowards that are your police force. Sickening how blind you are Interesting, Coward you are probably an officer yourself!!!
So you are trying to blame the police because your family and friends were causing a disturbance, and blame the police because someone called them about the disturbance, and blame the police for responding, and blame the police for investigating why three people ran from them at 3:51am. It is a sad situation that the dog ended up dying. But it’s not like the police set out that night with the intent to shoot a dog. They were doing their job and an unfortunate situation took place. Blaming others is a common coping mechanism, so I guess that is your way of getting through this. But the facts are that if your family was not causing a disturbance to the point that the police had to be called and had the people at the house not run from the officers, this situation would have never taken place. Next time tell your family/friends to talk to the officers instead of running.
Again, I ask… where are you getting your facts?? Unless YOU were there!! I saw no where in the article where it states 3 people ran from them. I read “several subjects who were standing near a vehicle saw the officers, then suddenly fled…” I bet you are one of the shooting officers, because you know way too much about this whole incident that isn’t revealed in this article. I have always defended officers of the law, admitting most are heroes. But this act shows plain savagery. If anything ever happened to one of my dogs at the hands of my local law enforcement, you better believe I’ll be all over the news for beating the hell out of them. ESPECIALLY if it is on MY own property where my dog is properly contained, AT ANY HOUR! But I guess that’s where my local law enforcement is different from you/rs. They’d never feel the need to shoot a dog dead, because they talk to home owners before they go trespassing through backyards in the dark, would never enter a gated backyard without first asking why it’s gated, and requesting animals be put away. If these “suspects” indeed went into the house through the back, then why not request to go through the front to talk to them? Or request they come out and talk to you? See again, this is what separates my local law enforcement from you/rs. They seek solutions without wanting to wave a gun around, especially if there is no threat of violence.
So he was a “guard dog” that you left out in a yard at night ALONE instead of having him safe in the house.You KNOW where you live and yet you exposed your dog to danger and you want to cry about it???If one of those thugs had shot and killed your dog..what then?Still ends up dead no matter WHO takes the shot.If you love your dog..he belongs in the house WITH you..not out in the yard ALONE.
It doesn’t matter what was going on, if people were having a disturbance or not. That did not justify the police killing a family’s dog. The police around this country need to use different methods in dealing with pets protecting their property. There are just too many stories like this posted every day dealing with dog after dog being shot and killed. If it was YOUR dog I think you would have a different attitude about this.
Sometimes I stay up late and let my dogs out at 3 a.m. or even later.
Again, you people are blaming the dog and / or the owner for the murderous actions of the cops.
I’m not sure where you’re reading your story from, but what I gather from the story above is… “Coral Springs Police officers were dispatched to the area of 10600 NW 37th Street…” Where does it say in this story it was at that specific address? I see “area”. Also it states above in the article “As officers arrived in the area to investigate, several subjects who were standing near a vehicle saw the officers, then suddenly fled on foot to the rear of several residences.” I see FLED TO THE REAR OF SEVERAL RESIDENCES; not specifically inside this owners residence. From reading your comment I’m assuming you’re a defense lawyer. Twisting the story around, and what for? This isn’t a court room, and if it was, those 2 police officers should be on trial! There is NOTHING justified in their actions. Seriously, you need to reread this article to get your facts straight or shed light on the article you’re reading from. Furthermore, who really cares WHY the dog was outside in it’s fenced back yard at 3:51am?? Are dog owners not allowed to let their dogs out in the middle of the night… in their own fenced backyard??
I disagree. I am not a sympathizer to the police, however, if they hadn’t shot the dog, they would likely have been attacked. It’s the fault of the people that ran, and had to be chased. It’s not the dog’s fault, nor is it the police’s fault. If they hadn’t fled, the dog would be alive and well today.
Here is a follow up story for you ~ family pets are getting killed on a regular basis. FINALLY, bills are currently being worked on in Texas and Colorado that will require officers to have animal behavior training. FINALLY, a couple states are taking some responsibility. Here is a link to just SOME of the animals that have been gunned down….many in front of children, while chained, in their own yard, etc. https://www.facebook.com/notes/dogs-shot-by-police/meet-the-dogs/442079395814430
And here is link to a video with some of the dogs in it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-YZcBq5BJY
Time for ‘news agencies’ to stop passing off police reports as news as if they were gospel. They excuse themselves for every single misdeed, including the UNJUSTIFIED killings of many, way too many, family dogs. Just google the subject on the internet BEFORE you defend them. The stories always sound remarkably similar, UNTIL you look at the facts. Often, the dog involved is 20 feet away, running away, CHAINED, on a leash right beside its owner who is being told to control the dog even as the cop is shooting, in its own yard (where the cops are TRESPASSING), on a CATCHPOLE THE COPS ARE HOLDING, let outside by the cops, contained inside a room and / or crate and simply GUNNED DOWN— need I go on?
Don’t believe me? GOOGLE IT!!! It happens every day in this country, and no matter how egregious, the killing, they ALWAYS justify themselves. Often citizens have to sue, and end up taking a lot of money from thugs with guns.
It was an American bulldog not a pit bull and he was the friendliest dog you’d ever meet, wouldn’t hurt a fly. RIP Bandit, you’ll be missed.
Why are you anonymous. People are as much of cowards as those police. By you not showing your face makes it like you are not even human or real. Might have well just not even posted.
As you shouldn’t have posted!
Im 16 years old and had to put down my puppy yesterday. This was my dog. His name was Bandit and he was an AMERICAN BULLDOG! Those who knew him knew his sweet disposition and loyalty to our family. His breed has nothing to do with the fact that police officers not only harass my family but killed my dog too. The department cannot go around killing our animals. He was protecting our home from INTRUDERS and for the department not to take credit for the poor actions of their officers is a disgrace Im 16 years old and had to put down my puppy yesterday.
Coral Springs Police Brad McKeone informed Coral Springs Talk that the Animal Hospital confirmed the dog was a pit bull. We are taking this information directly from them. We are extremely sorry for the loss of Bandit.
I have his pedigree. He is a pure bred dog who was given to us threw family. Im indifferent towards the faults of hospital workers.
weird bandit sure looked a lot like like an American bulldog!!
So you’re going to tell the owner what type of dog it had..?
As Ia pitt breeder, i will say this once, an only once: PITT BULLS ARE NATURALLY AFFECTIONATE DOGS. If you are one of those people who are disillusioned to think that Pitts are violent I’ll have you know that they are terrier an are the best family dogs, they seek to please. That’s why they make good fighting dogs. FURTHERMORE, I have known Bandit for three years, he is a super sweet pure breed American bull dog. COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
no more breeders of any dogs, when ten thousand dogs and cats are killed per day in united states.
As a responsible dog owner and breed advocate as um sure you wish to be, please do NOT breed anymore pitbulls. I run a pitbull rescue and there is not room for one more. You, no one, can account for future litters or owners. We can only save about one out of every 150. If you love the breed stop producing them. they are the MOST abused breed.
Do you have ANY idea how often OTHER breeds of dogs, especially bulldogs, lab mixes, boxer mixes and the like are CALLED pit bulls by cops when they CLEARLY are not??????
Why don’t you do some research- look at pictures of the dogs cops all over this country have claimed are pits. Heck, they’ve even called an Airedale Terrier a pit at least once that I know of when it suited them, because they chose to kill the innocent dog without a second thought and calling a dog a pit, they feel, somehow makes it ‘justified’ to a lot of ignorant people..
HOW DO YOU CONFIRM PITBULL SINCE IN THE USA ITS NOT ONE RECOGNIZED BREED BUT A TYPE OF DOG THAT CAN SPAN OVER 20 DIFFERENT BREEDS, AND IN THE USA EVEN AT THE IDIOT VETS IS BASED ON LOOKS. THAT IS NOT A PITBULL! I SHOULD KNOW I WORK WITH PITBULLS THE OWNER SHOULD KNOW HE HAS PAPERS , BREED GENE LINE, AND IT WAS HIS DOG. CORAL SPRINGS MUST NOT HAVE GOOD VETS THEIR REPORTERS SURE ARE FULL OF IT .
yeah so sorry for the loss you fight about what breed a dog is to get better ratings. you guys are sick as are your police for shooting a dog they didnt have to. your sick for even saying that the papers this owner has are wrong they should know what breed it is if the parents where bulldogs guess what that makes this dog? or do you think you can breed an akita and lab and get a pitbull? did you know 9 out of 10 dogs that are taken and killed because they are pits are actually labs, bulldogs, and staffies? and these are vets calling them pits much like your uneducated vets. RIP bandit im sorry these idiots cant even get your own breed correct but they judge based on looks and even then they cant tell a pit from a bullyboy, wouldnt doubt if they treated people the same way.
Really? Who cares what breed the dog was! The sad truth is the dog was
killed in it’s own fenced yard by police that were intruders. I don’t
care who they were after. The police have no right killing someone’s pet
that is properly contained. I’m so sorry for this families loss of
their Bandit. I can only imagine how I would feel if this happened to
one of my dogs while I thought they were safe in their fenced in yard.
Problem I see here is that the dog was out in his yard…ALONE…. at 3AM.I NEVER leave my dogs out without being with them and they definitely aren’t out in the yard..alone..at 3am.Doesn’t make what the officers did “ok” but as owners if you aren’t PROACTIVE..it gives police officers the opportunity to be REACTIVE and your dog NEVER wins when you leave it in an officer’s hands.
So sorry for your loss.This is happening alot lately.These officers need more training to handle dogs instead of murdering them.The family dogs are just protecting their home and family.RIP Bandit.
We are so sorry to hear of your dog’s tragic death. We offer our condolences and invite you to share the story on our page. You are not alone, many dogs are shot by officers all over the country, sometimes several a week. Our page exists to highlight these stories, give people a place to come together to try to exact changes in policy, training in proper handling of dogs, and share resources for those seeking justice for their pets. Please let us know if there is anything our members can do to help you.
https://www.facebook.com/Mr.PolicemanDontShootMyDog
Dear Shazia:
I am so sorry of your heartbreak in this horrendous act of cruelty that you and your family had to endure. Our American Bull, Remi, was shot in in the head by a retired NYC cop who was taking a walk on a Saturday morning with a loaded handgun in his pocket, just because she is a Pit Bull. We were lucky, Remi survived after a multitude of surgery and therapy. The police departments in this country need to be trained and equipped with other alternatives rather than pulling their guns and shooting innocent dogs. My heart goes out to you. If you ever need to talk or just vent please feel free to contact me via Remi’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Justice-For-Remi/226487464030014.
Our prayers are with you Shazia.
Really? Who cares what breed the dog was! The sad truth is the dog was killed in it’s own fenced yard by police that were intruders. I don’t care who they were after. The police have no right killing someone’s pet that is properly contained. I’m so sorry for this families loss of their Bandit. I can only imagine how I would feel if this happened to one of my dogs while I thought they were safe in their fenced in yard.
funny i don’t remember him as an aggressive dog i just remember a big sweetheart who loved having his butt scratched <3 i know if anything he was just trying to protect his family no dog deserves to go that way i am deeply disturbed that this has happened!!
the face of an “Aggressive Pit Bull”.
looks lit a pitt…
For the uneducated, American bulldogs are a close relative to the Pit Bull or American Terrier.
So what you’re saying is that the cops rushed a house went out back which is probably the only way they would encountered a really nice dog that I have met and then fearing for their lives because a dog was doing what a dog does protecting its family. Not only i’m assuming the police was on private property but no audacity to knock on the door. Some cops.. R.I.P Bandit! :(
The owner of the dog is a criminal and has been terrorizing Coral Springs for years with robberies and burglaries. The owner was home on house arrest when this happened. It wouldn’t suprise me if they set the dog loose on purpose to attack the officers.
Its comical how you bring light on the tainted members’s of the house hold to shy away from the reality of the situation. My dog was SLAUGHTERED for protecting his home. Im the sister of those criminals and i will not deny the reality of my brothers actions but I have done no wrong to the community but work hard to benefit it. This is not the first case of house hold pets being killed and it must stopped. This is a matter of protecting the right of Human and Animal. Not judging them based off of the mistakes of those around them.
If you knew there was police activity outside your residence why didn’t you, bring your dog inside to ensure his/her Safety? A RESPONISBLE dog owner would have done that. It is unfortunate that this happened, but I see that you the OWNER of the dog is ultimately at fault for this happening. Why was your dog out side at 3:30am? The suspects left the gate open not the police. Before you go slamming the police, take a step back and think about the whole situation. Not just “My dog was SLAUGHTERED”
Obviously if someone called the police they didn’t know there was going to be “police activity”. When kids see the police the first reaction is to run; no one wants to be in trouble for something they shouldn’t be doing. They ran onto private property, the police followed where they shouldn’t have and they reacted to a guard dog in a very wrong way. Large dogs are for protection and shooting a poor animal and leaving it to suffer for doing what it was meant to do is just cruel. Everybody in this situation played a role, including the officers and the kids.
Not sure how or where you grew up, but I was always taught – from a very young age – that the police are not your enemies. Quite the contrary. They are not to be feared. Why would I run away from something that I do not fear, especially since running away is a BAD IDEA in the first place?
They’re not your enemies but they can kill your dog if they feel like it, and get away with it.
Yes – because had you have been in the same situation, you would have tried petting the dog and offering it a slice of bacon while its chewing your arm off.
Well, I heard this one before. You don’t really have an argument.
Based on your premise, then, the notion of self-defense must be excised from all laws. We can never defend ourselves from an attacking animal or a burglar. We must either let ourselves become dinner or have our property taken away from us.
Back to rational thought and critical thinking:
Since you nor I was there to witness the events, we have to rely on what the police says – and what Shazia has said in this thread. It is on what these two parties has said on the incident that leads me to the only logical conclusion.
On one side, the police officers said they shot the dog in self defense because it showed signs of aggression and about to attack them during a foot-chase of people who ran from the police upon seeing their arrival.
On the other side, the owner has admitted that the dog was a guard dog and that it was left unattended, outdoors, in the middle of the night.
So we have facts from both sides here. Collectively, they lead to the only logical conclusion that the police acted correctly here.
Now, unless you have something else to add that no one knows about, it is probably about time for you to offer support for your rationale.
More canards and circular logic (but not rational thought),
“You weren’t there either and do not have a positive proof that it was urgent to kill the dog.”
I have two, no make that three, supporting facts: the police said they shot the dog in self-defense, the owner said the dog was a guard-dog, the owner said the dog was left outside, unattended.
Three facts in support. None coming from you to support your view.
Feel free to contribute something concrete to the narrative.
“The thing is, for you such proof is not required, even though you keep waxing about self-defense.”
Sometimes, there is no particular proof to be had from a particular incident. However, that is not the case here. We have comments from both the police and the dog owner to go on.
“For example, the officers did not know beforehand if the owner thought of the dog as a guard dog, and the PD is not even making any such claim.”
This is irrelevant and a poor attempt to cloud the issue. Furthermore, the dog is a guard dog as admitted by the owner, not the police.
“The actual purpose of a guard dog, anyway, is to alert the owners (who weren’t given any time to react).”
It looks like you have appointed yourself overlord of the Guard Dogs of the World, because you apparently know what each and every guard dog is supposed to do.
Talk about a faulty blanket statement.
Secondly, the are facts about the dog are known as supported by the remarks of the owner herself. The dog was left outside, in the middle of the night. Therefore, it was not under the control of the owner when it should have been.
The guard dog can perform hisher duties just fine with the added protections of being indoors and under control.
“Calling it a “weapon” in the present context is simply disingenuous…”
False. That is what a real guard dog is. It is there to protect and defend the owner and the owner’s property. The guard dog warns – and if needs warrant – will attack. This is what real guard dogs do. They are trained to act like a weapon when the situation calls for it.
“…especially knowing that another person had just entered the yard and wasn’t harmed.”
Of course they weren’t harmed. They disabled the dog as it was about to attack.
Your premise seems to be this. “I am not buying self-defense. I need to see bite marks on the officers to make sure the dog was actually a threat.”
A position that can only be met with laughter.
Any person, police or non-police alike, would defend themselves – if they can – from a aggressive dog that is about to attack. To say otherwise is disingenuous.
“”Facts from both sides” is a bit of a stretch.”
Again, factually incorrect. We have statements from both sides and both should be weighted equally on their merits. Critical analysis demands that at a minimum.
“The police generated a CYA document, for internal purposes as well as for public consumption.”
What else would they say? And what else would a distraught owner say? What is it, exactly, that you are after?
“The “news” report we’re dealing with is a mere regurgitation of that document, and no attempt was made by the “journalist” to seek information from the owner or any other potential witnesses. ”
Which is why I said (a few times now) that barring new and previously unknown circumstances surrounding this story, that there is only one logical conclusion to come to with the story *as written.*
“Something similar happens with quite many of the gratuitous cop-on-dog shootings nationwide.”
By this statement, you have made it clear you are incapable of analyzing the events, as we know it, critically. Therefore, your biased comments should be summarily dismissed.
The police said it was self-defense, that’s your supporting fact no.1. Please convince me that I need to read any further.
If one is to look at an incident objectively, then you have to give equal weight to the facts from both sides. Analysis is should be on merit, not what your disposition is towards one party or the other.
I do agree with the statement in your last sentence.
Police are cowards
Here is a fact from another shooting here, cop says dog charges, cop shoots dog, autopsy is done to find that cop already shot dog in leg with weapon registered to the police dept, kill shot was to the back of the head with cowards own personal weapon. We call that personal and they all do it scumbags.
Care to cite a source for what you are saying above?
The police already stated the dog was struck multiple times. Considering a dog is a relatively small and fast moving target made possibly more difficult to hit if the officers were moving themselves, PLUS the fact that it was nighttime and visibility is reduced – nothing unusual in discharging more than one shot.
Gosh, I would think that if the dog didn’t eat the “suspects” that went running through the yard, he probably wasn’t going to try and shred the officers either. Family pets are being shot on a regular basis in the United States….so sad. Shazia, my heart goes out to you.
Here is an amazing fact, the cops NEVER get bit by the so-called charging dog. Explain that Georgie Porgie
My APBT named Sassy was shot and killed by an off-duty corrections offcer on Jan 10th this year. Everyone can say its your fault but when it comes down to it, the last thing you think is that your pet’s life would be in danger. Outside or not, I’m sure you loved your dog very much. It doesn’t get a lot better with time but as long as you’re doing what you can to avenge their death you start to recover. I’m so sorry this had to happen ONCE again. I swear I hear a new case everyday.
The article says that the police “shot and killed” the dog, yet the article later states that the owner decided to have it euthanized. I guess they didn’t kill it afterall, the owner just decided not to have it treated for whatever reason; sounds like it would have lived. hmmm
Not at all. He was shot THREE time. Onec to the face and twice to the chest. He wouldnt have survived the night. In other words, it was over kill.
Hey oops you apparently do not own pets, do you know how much it costs to get a dog surgery? Yes your boys killed this dog because if it was not for a unmanly cop who has to make up for what he does not have, this dog would not have incurred these vet bills. Oh and moron you have to pay upfront!!! Uneducated mess.
They were shooting to kill, and they did. No “oops” here.
This just makes me sick! I knew this dog, and he is very sweet! Of course he is going to protect his home, duh! The cops just shoot any dog they see! How’d you feel if it was your dog? I hope they press charges against coral springs p.d.!!
I’m disappointed with the tone of the article (regardless of misinformed breed) because the fault of the dogs death rested squarely on the dog and not the police officers who made a bad judgement call. Seeing as the writer is blaming the police for the facts being skewed, the police should issue a formal apology for what transpired that night. They won’t however, because that would admit guilt and open the door to a landslide ruling in a civil suit. I have been a guest in these LOVING & WONDERFUL peoples home and can tell you first hand that this dog was not violent, as my 5 & 6 year olds played with this dog often. Stop judging some kids that have made some mistakes in their lives and weren’t charged with any wrong doing in this incident, and start shifting this thread back to the real issue, Bandit was shot without just cause and while defending his home and family!
Your idea of personal responsibility is so lopsided that it borders on duplicity.
Awwww poor bandit :( he was such a good sweet dog! Sorry for your loss guys. We love you bandit <3 R.I.P
Pit bull or Bull dog doesn’t matter. This was not a felony foot pursuit and there was no need to trespass on an innocent civilians private property over “loud voices and yelling”. Blatant disregard of protocol and horrible decision by the officers to use there weapon on a family dog on private property. If they felt threatened use there taser as a last resort. Sad to see another tragedy that could have been prevented.
This story caught my eye. I lived in Coral Springs and live a short distance away from there now. My parents still live there.
There seems to be a lot of ignorance about the law, beginning with the words Shazia typed here – who says seems to have a poor understanding of what “private property” is in the eyes of the law.
Your private property is not some magical iron curtain that authorities can never cross. Here is the rub. When the officers pulled up and those people started running – guess what – they have just given the police *probable cause* and are therefore fully authorized to give chase, wherever the chase may go.
Running from the cops is a no-no, under ANY circumstances.
Secondly, when a person says they have a guard dog, by proxy what they are really saying is that they have a weapon of deterrence As a result, a weapon – ANY weapon – must be fully controlled at ALL times.
A dog that is kept outside at night and not under the watchful eye of the owner, as what happened here, is a serious risk – for both the dog and the owner. Yet people insist on keeping dogs outside at night.
And guess what? Let us say for the sake of argument the officers did NOT fire and the dog managed to bite one of the officers. Not only can the dog be taken away, but the owner can also get himselfherself arrested.
People do not understand that if you are in possession of a weapon, that it is a huge responsibility. Ever drive a car Shazia? If you haven’t, you will. And guess what, the law views each and every car as a potential weapon, which is why people are licensed and have to pass tests on order to prove that they can ALWAYS be in control.
As a sidebar, keeping a dog outside – especially here in Florida – is a bad idea. This is a tropical climate, with all sorts of bad bugs and animals around.
Secondly, the law recognizes the innate right to self-defense. Had the dog not shown aggression, it would not have been shot.
I type all of this as an animal lover (1 dog, 2 cats) and it pains me to talk about the death of a 4 legged loved one. Bandit, in the end, did what his instincts andor training told him to do – and paid the ultimate price. That is why the owners have to be the smart ones here and exercise the ULTIMATE in control.
Unfortunately, it is much easier to blame the police than to blame those who have suffered a loss. However, it doesn’t change the circumstances that the police, at least of what we know as written here, did nothing wrong.
BTW, I’ve always have a critical eye towards the police. The majority are good people, but like any organization, there are always a bad apple or two and, as a result, need to be watched. I will say here, I have respect for Coral Springs Police. They run a tight ship and do not put up with BS. A lot of crap has moved into Coral Springs in the last 10 years, so I give them credit for keeping the peace in a very different Coral Springs these days.
Another exercise in double standards. You do not seem to place any
responsibility on the person who made a conscious choice to pull the
trigger; even though their act was much more egregious than anything you
can try and pin on the homeowner.
I fail to see how an act of self-defense can be construed to be egregious, unless you are saying that this was NOT an act of self defense? If the latter is true, then it seems you know something about this story no one else does.
Self-defense?? That’s bold.
Cowardly acts by the “new” police. I had a german shepherd who got out once and the cops were not even called it is society pussies who call the police all the time because yep they are cowards. Instead of walking over to a house and asking them to keep the noise down, the wimpy losers call the cops its a big cryfest now. My dog even bit a neighbor we never got sued and the dog was not deemed dangerous even tho he was. The dog was abused before and thats why he was mean. Now go ahead say I should have had him put down. I am not a coward who cannot take a bite so I did not and to us he ended up precious.
“Cowardly acts by the “new” police.”
The police were called. When they showed up, the kidsadults ran and a foot chase ensued. Who are the cowardly ones again?
“My dog even bit a neighbor we never got sued and the dog was not deemed dangerous even tho he was.”
Your neighbor chose to handle it one way. That doesn’t mean that everyone HAS TO handle it that way as well – especially when they are in their rights to call the authorities.
“The dog was abused before and thats why he was mean. Now go ahead say I should have had him put down.”
Sounds to me that you’ve missed a valuable lesson. You have a very forgiving neighbor. You knew your dog is prone to biting. Sounds to me like you should keep the dog away from strangers that come knocking.
But it doesn’t sound like you’ve learned something here.
I have no reason to doubt the police, coupled with what the owner has said about the dog (the dog was a guard dog, left outside at night).
SO many family pets are being shot when officer “fear” for their safety ~ https://www.facebook.com/notes/dogs-shot-by-police/meet-the-dogs/442079395814430
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with keeping a dog outside at night within the owner’s enclosed back yard. If you disagree, please cite the law that says otherwise.
Indeed, there is nothing in the law that says one cannot keep your dog in your backyard. However, if the dog is not under direct supervised control (as is the case of the dog is left outside on his own), you lose any right to grievances if the dog gets caught in the “crossfire”.
This is analogous to leaving the windows of your car rolled down during the rainy season in Florida. Nothing illegal here, but there is little room to complain if the car’s interior gets soaked and ruined.
Where do you get this nonsense? Of course you don’t lose any right to complain for officer or anyone else’s negligence. You’re an idiot if you think having your dog in your own backyard forfeits any rights you may have.
Also, what are you even talking about with crossfire? Do you lack reading comprehension? The cop aimed at the dog. The dog was not caught in a crossfire.
“Where do you get this nonsense? Of course you don’t lose any right to complain for officer or anyone else’s negligence. You’re an idiot if you think having your dog in your own backyard forfeits any rights you may have.”
The issue is not about having the dog in your backyard. The issue is not having your dog under direct supervision. A dog is like a small child. They have to be supervised constantly.
“Your analogy is no good. In your analogy, the water in your car is an act of nature, not an intentional act by a person.”
Wrong again – the act of not rolling down your windows is the intentional act. You missed the point.
” In this case, the harm (pet being killed) is an intentional act by a person, the cop shooting the dog.”
Self-defense is intentional. Just like leaving a dog unattended is intentional as well.
“You’d be laughed out of court if your defense to that action was that you wouldn’t have been able to fill the car up with water if the owner had not left his windows down.”
And you would be laughed out of court if you claim the officers could have casually backed away from a guard dog that was attacking them.
You don’t need a law to give you common sense. Like my Mama always said, nothing good ever happens between 12-6am. Only the trouble makers are around at that time.
I have read all the comments and it is very sad to see how people just are focused on the breed of the dog. Bandit doesn’t look any different than my American Bulldog, who is a pure bred dog. So because he “looks” like a pitt, he should be shot? Regardless of the fact that yes the police was out doing their job, the dog was still in his yard and not running around loose in the neighborhood. I have two dogs..a lab and an american bulldog…both fixed and super sweet. I also have three children and my kids friends come over and I haven’t had isues with either. But I will not be surprised nor put it past either one of them that if ANYONE cops or civilian step foot in MY yard, without being invited in, they would either bark aggresively or attack. They are after all animals with instincts. Taught to protect their families.
The shooting, by the way, was perpetrated by the same PD that left their own dog to die inside a hot car in 2008.
Latest story from the Sentinel:
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-03-28/news/fl-coral-springs-cop-shoots-dog-20130327_1_dog-several-times-large-dog-coral-springs-police
The cop was in the dogs yard!! When will these assholes stop killing our pets????
Wow, there are some seriously nasty people commenting on this topic. Everyone has an opinion in regards to bulldogs, you either like em or you don’t. Nevertheless, I do wonder why in the world anyone would have their dog out at that time of night, I’m not judging just wondering why? Second, was the homeowner making so much noise that people actually had to call the police in regards to it? If so, that’ downright rude and inconsiderate of your neighbors. Clear indication of someone that doesn’t really care about others. 2 cents, take it or leave it
I am so sorry for your loss. I am an owner of an American Bulldog and a Pit Bull. First and foremost a pit bull is NOT a breed. It is in reference to the American pit bull terrier, American staffordshire terrier, and the staffordshire bull terrier. A pit bull is a cross breed of a terrier and bulldog. The Scott (or standard) American bulldog closely resembles that of a “pit bull.” This picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:American_bulldog.jpg is a Scott American Bulldog not to be confused with its relative: http://www.parade.com/news/2010/09/03-pit-bull-myths.html. A vet is NOT an expert on dog breeds and should not be able to give a legal “opinion” on such. Both the pit bull and American bulldog are loving, loyal, family pets. My heart goes out to this family as they cope with the loss of their beloved pet. Police are more and more frequently pulling their guns without just cause. It may be a dog today, but that reaction without thought could very easily be a human life tomorrow.
I’m a little bugged at the fact that people are up in arms about the dog being out in the yard at 3am. My dogs have a doggie door so they can go out any and all times during the day or night. if your dog is in a secured gated yard then we should not fear letting your dog out. Would they have shot a man on his private property if he was protecting it?
So sorry for your loss!!!!! I’m so sick of police officers shooting our pets and using the excuse of our dogs came at them and showed signs of aggression!! My pittbulls smile a lot and I guess cops might be afraid of that… If so get a different job!