Policeman shoots pet dog in front of terrified kids, disturbing video sparks outrage

A video of an interaction between a dog and a policeman, which led to the pet’s death, has gone viral on social media. The cop shoots the dog as two small kids watch in horror. The family has released the footage, which has caused outrage on social media.

“I'm at a loss for words. A Davenport, IA police officer drives by and tells my kid to put his dog on a leash. As the kids are doing so he decides he's going to get out of the car and come up to the house as they are complying. The dog runs up to him and he decides his best option is to draw his gun and murder our dog in front of my child, his cousin, and his mother all while they are standing there and could have easily been shot as well. RIP Myst you were an awesome dog and won't be forgotten,” Don Hesseltine wrote as he posted a video of the incident.

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The video shows a dog near two kids and a woman with a policeman standing across a lawn. The pet then runs towards the cop while barking, and within a split second, he pulls out his gun and shoots the dog. The injured pet runs back to its owner and instantly collapses. The woman is seen howling while calling her pet’s name, and the kids are crying out of fear.

Note: The footage contains disturbing scenes. Viewer discretion advised

How did social media users react to the video?

The video sparked an outrage on social media, with many demanding justice for the dead dog and its owners

“That was tough to watch. Tail was wagging when the dog got there, that’s not a mean dog. That officer is a coward, I hope you and your family get justice,” wrote an X user.

Another person added, “I'm very sorry for your loss. This is horrendous.” A third commented, “For the people who are arguing the dog should have been leashed and citing the leash law, the cop could have simply given them a citation for that and left. There’s absolutely no reason it had to get to the point it did.”

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“That cop belongs in jail. Just murdered a dog and traumatized those two kids for life. If the dog was being aggressive he could have used his baton or pepper spray. If his instinct in any difficult confrontation is to pull his gun and start shooting he doesn’t deserve the badge he wears,” expressed a fourth.

How did the police department react?

According to the New York Post, the department released a statement: “Davenport Police responded to the 800 block of North Pine Street in reference to a report of four dogs at large, appearing aggressive. The caller stated the dogs were attempting to get over a fence to reach their dog.”

“While the officer was following-up to the call in the alley of 2100 Telegraph Road, a dog ran out of a yard in the officer’s direction. The officer is seen on the public video slowly backing up while the dog advances. The dog’s behaviour became aggressive, resulting in the officer discharging his firearm at the dog,” the statement added.

Reportedly, the same officer was earlier accused of striking another family’s dog with his police cruiser.