The Los Angeles Police Department released footage of an incident involving officers nonlethally shooting a dog after residents filed a complaint.
The LAPD released body camera footage on Saturday of an incident in which an officer fired a bean bag round at a pit bull while responding to requests for service. The footage was released after a Winnetka dog owner filed a complaint against the department, claiming the round hurt his dog.
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After an internal investigation and a “thorough review” of the video, the LAPD chief of police decided to release footage of the incident online “as a means to promote trust and transparency into this incident and inform the public.”
The incident occurred on Thursday, Nov. 4, when officers in the Topanga Division responded to a radio call of a “vicious dog” in the region.
The officers met with residents, who alleged that a dog had been aggressively chasing residents around the neighborhood.
The caller then directed them to a home where the pit bull, Ruby, “aggressively charged at the officers while barking.”
An officer then fired a bean bag round at the canine’s head, causing it to retreat.
The video shows that the officers were yelling “Get Back” and “Back up!” as Ruby charged them. After the dog retreated, an officer ordered one of the owners to “Go secure your dog right now.”
Ruby’s owner, Cory Lennon, told Fox11 that the bean bag round caused significant injury to Ruby. “Ruby’s forehead was split. [She was shot] straight between the eyes and split her face open. She was bleeding out of her nostrils. She was drooling blood out of her mouth. She got pretty messed up.”
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“It was a non-lethal round, but it is still crazy that they even took that route.” Cory continued, “Why not trip the siren or yell for the owner?”
Lennon said that he took Ruby to the veterinarian and received a significant bill. The LAPD offered to cover the costs of Ruby’s medical treatment.
Ruby is expected to be OK, but Lennon says that she was “traumatized” and that they are monitoring her closely.
