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Sunday, September 28, 2014
ENP STAFF REPORTS
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A South Street man said police officers shot and killed his dog Saturday afternoon "for protecting his family."
Lockport police, however, say that the man's dog left his property and attacked two officers.
Austin Smith said "a police officer kicked in a locked gate to look for squatters in the house next door" before shooting his dog, Junior, multiple times.
Different accounts of the incident say between five and nine shots were fired. Some say that shots struck a house across the street where children were playing.
Lockport Police Chief Larry Eggert confirmed that officers killed the dog but said it was done out of self defense — and only after unsuccessfully using mace.
It all started at about 3:35 p.m. Saturday when Lt. Marshall Belling and Officer Mike Wasik arrived at a home on South Street east of Erie Street to confront a situation that neighbors had complained about. Police had been told that there were squatters in the home.
Officer Wasik went up the driveway and looked over a fence into the back yard while Belling went to the porch.
"In the neighboring yard on the one side was a big pit bull ... the next thing you know the dog crossed over into this abandoned property and charged at (Wasik)," Eggert said.
The dog went after the officer's face and tore up his bullet-proof vest, the chief said. After Wasik tried to subdue the dog with a spray, he used his gun, shooting the dog twice.
"We think he hit the dog both times," Eggert said. "We're doing an autopsy on the dog right now."
That one more shot came from Belling, who had run to Wasik's aid and then was attacked himself, Eggert said.
The police chief said the incident remains under investigation and many questions remain unanswered. Those questions include: how many shots were fired, where those shots landed, why the officers were attacked, and whether the dog may have had rabies.
"Any time a police officer's gun gets fired, we have to account for every round," Eggert said. "We're not 100 percent sure the number yet. A good possibility would be the five to seven range."
Some accounts say that bullets had gone into a home across the street, but Eggert says the evidence doesn't support that. "We examined three houses. One of their neighbors pointed out a house that they thought a round went into. We couldn't find any evidence of any rounds leaving the property."
"From what I was told, it was an extremely quick and extremely violent attack by the dog," he said, adding that the same dog had attacked an officer a couple years ago.
One of the officers — although Eggert wouldn't say which — was treated and released from ENH-Lockport following the incident.
NOTE: Story edited at 6:51 p.m. to correct Lt. Marshall Belling's title.
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| A South Street man say police shot and killed his dog for no reason. LPD says the shooting was warranted. (SCREEN SHOT FROM ENP FACEBOOK) |
Lockport police, however, say that the man's dog left his property and attacked two officers.
Austin Smith said "a police officer kicked in a locked gate to look for squatters in the house next door" before shooting his dog, Junior, multiple times.
Different accounts of the incident say between five and nine shots were fired. Some say that shots struck a house across the street where children were playing.
Lockport Police Chief Larry Eggert confirmed that officers killed the dog but said it was done out of self defense — and only after unsuccessfully using mace.
It all started at about 3:35 p.m. Saturday when Lt. Marshall Belling and Officer Mike Wasik arrived at a home on South Street east of Erie Street to confront a situation that neighbors had complained about. Police had been told that there were squatters in the home.
Officer Wasik went up the driveway and looked over a fence into the back yard while Belling went to the porch.
"In the neighboring yard on the one side was a big pit bull ... the next thing you know the dog crossed over into this abandoned property and charged at (Wasik)," Eggert said.
The dog went after the officer's face and tore up his bullet-proof vest, the chief said. After Wasik tried to subdue the dog with a spray, he used his gun, shooting the dog twice.
"We think he hit the dog both times," Eggert said. "We're doing an autopsy on the dog right now."
According to one neighbor who asked not to be identified, "We heard multiple shots fired in rapid succession. After making sure all our kids safe, we heard one more shot."
That one more shot came from Belling, who had run to Wasik's aid and then was attacked himself, Eggert said.
The police chief said the incident remains under investigation and many questions remain unanswered. Those questions include: how many shots were fired, where those shots landed, why the officers were attacked, and whether the dog may have had rabies.
"Any time a police officer's gun gets fired, we have to account for every round," Eggert said. "We're not 100 percent sure the number yet. A good possibility would be the five to seven range."
Some accounts say that bullets had gone into a home across the street, but Eggert says the evidence doesn't support that. "We examined three houses. One of their neighbors pointed out a house that they thought a round went into. We couldn't find any evidence of any rounds leaving the property."
"It's going to be a process. We're going to be working on this for quite a while," Eggert said.
"From what I was told, it was an extremely quick and extremely violent attack by the dog," he said, adding that the same dog had attacked an officer a couple years ago.
One of the officers — although Eggert wouldn't say which — was treated and released from ENH-Lockport following the incident.
NOTE: Story edited at 6:51 p.m. to correct Lt. Marshall Belling's title.
Send an email to news@eastniagarapost.com with "email update" in the subject line.
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Sorry sir, but if you dont keep your dangerous dog secured your own propertywhere it cant attack someone, then it gets what it gets. YOU failed this dog. Dont try to shift the blame.
ReplyDeleteAnnie B were you there??? How do you know he's not telling the truth. Do you really believe everything the cops say??????
ReplyDeleteAnnie B were you there??? How do you know he's not telling the truth. Do you really believe everything the cops say??????
ReplyDelete"In the neighboring yard on the one side was a big pit bull ... the next thing you know the dog crossed over into this abandoned property and charged at (Wasik)," Eggert said.... the dog was not confined on it's property and when that happens, legally, all bets are off. Owners are responsible for keeping their dogs confined on their property or under control on a leash.
ReplyDeleteThe dog was confined - they kicked in the back gate and set Juniot free. The neighbors across the street saw it. If you are that naive to believe that the police won't lie, you need to research 90% of police cases
DeleteExcuse me "Annie B" but the police kicked in the wrong back gate and set the dog free. They were supposed to be at the house next door. If some strange barbaric men came into my back yard my dogs would feel the need to attack also. So before commenting to a man who lost his dog - more like his family member, get your head out of your ass and actually understand what happened. I live right around the corner and SAW Juniors body laying there in the front yard. They shot him FIVE times and then a minute later TWICE more to put him down, while kids were outside playing, where they could have been potentially injured because LPD hires "polce officers" who are incapable of protecting us and doing their job. If they werent so careless as to go in the wrong backyard, someone's pet wouldn't have been murdered.
ReplyDeleteAnd as far as the cops not knowing how many shots were fired is absolute bullshit!!! They have to file paper work any time there gun is fired. Once again another bullshit corrupt scandal by lpd
ReplyDelete