"Policeman Knocked" Owner Off Dog Before Detaining, Shooting It

[kpete]

Police fatally shoot dog at Adams Morgan festival.

Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, September 13, 2010

A D.C. police officer shot and killed a festival-goer's dog amid hundreds of onlookers in Adams Morgan on Sunday afternoon in an incident that was either completely justified or totally unnecessary, depending on whom you ask.

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Sometime after noon on Sunday, two dogs started snapping at each other in the middle of a crowd enjoying cheese fries and funnel cake at the annual Adams Morgan Day festival on 18th Street NW. D.C. police officers soon got involved, and at some point, one of them shot and killed the larger dog, described as either a pit bull or Shar-Pei mix.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/12/AR2010091203938.html?nav=hcmoduletmv
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/9/13/898435/-Anti-Pit-Bull-Hysteria-Claims-Dogs-Life-in-DC

Through a spokesman, Parrot's foster dad Aaron Block issued the following statement:

Parrot is two-year-old dog for whom we have cared for almost a month. He has never bitten another dog and is regularly walked along 17th street during the busiest times of day without incident. He's extremely friendly.

Today, there was an unexpected scuffle between Parrot and a poodle. Aaron, subdued Parrot, who was wearing both a leash and a harness. To do so, he placed his hands in Parrot's mouth and held it open, which he has done when Parrot gets overexcited when romping in the apartment. As it had in the past, this calmed Parrot down.

At this point, the policeman knocked Aaron off of Parrot. The policeman put his knee in the middle of Parrot's back while pulling Parrot's forelegs behind him, as one would do with an armed criminal. Without waiting to determine whether this technique would calm Parrot, the policeman grabbed Parrot, lifted him off the ground, and brought him to the top of the concrete staircase. He threw Parrot over the banister, down twelve steps, and onto the concrete floor. Then, the policeman stood at the top of the stairs, drew his weapon, and executed Parrot. Aaron cannot recall the number of shots fired.

http://dcist.com/2010/09/spokesperson_officer_knocked_owner.php