A Police officer in El Monte, Calif., shot a family's German shepherd after entering their front yard during an investigation into a runaway teenager. Police, who arrived at the home an hour late to a scheduled appointment, claim they followed correct police procedures.
Cathy Luu of El Monte stands on Friday, June 21, 2013, near a "beware of dog" sign on a gate police officers passed through while following up on a runaway teen investigation before shooting her 2-year-old German shepherd in the 4700 block of Maxson Road in El Monte on Wednesday, June 19, 2013. (Photo by Brian Day, San Gabriel Valley Tribune)
However, the family is furious and claims the cops' official story is contradicted by security footage.
The San Gabriel Valley Tribune has more details:
"They did go up to the front (gate)," the captain [Dan Buehler] said. "There was a beware of dog sign of the gate. They did what we always do as police officers. They shook the gate. They didn't see any dogs.""They looked for any signs of dogs -- chew toys, dog mess, what have you," Buehler said, adding that they entered the yard after not seeing anything indicating a dog was present.
"They walked up to the porch. They rang the doorbell. They knocked on the door. That's when the first dog came around the house," he said.
The video captured by the home's security camera seems to tell a different story. The officers are not seen shaking the gate and don't appear to take the "Beware of Dog" sign attached to it seriously before entering the yard.
Further, as Reason.com points out, one of the cops petted the family's pit bull before closing the gate.
The cop actually shooting the German shepherd was not caught on camera. The dog wasn't killed by the gun shot, but Kiki had to be euthanized at the vet later because the family couldn't afford the surgery.
Watch the security footage below:
The family claims police told her the dog was OK after the animal was shot.
Cathy Luu, the owner of the home, told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune that her kids were also in the house.
"What if my son ran outside behind the dog?" Luu said. "When I think about it, it's scary."
Kiki the German shepherd (San Gabriel Valley Tribune)
Family members say they haven't gotten so much as an apology from the police.
"I'm hurt that they would do this to my pet, but at the same time I'm angry because they act like they don't even care. They didn't apologize," Luu said through a Vietnamese.
Police are reportedly conducting an internal investigation, but Buehler maintains his cops followed "policy."
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