AKC: American Killing Club

A police officer responding to a medical emergency pulled his gun and fired at the family dog. Fortunately he missed the dog, but the bullet hit four-year-old Ava Ellis in the leg.

Columbus, Ohio police officer Jonathan Thomas claimed the dog ran at him, whereupon he drew and discharged his weapon.

Neighbor Gary Parsley said, "Everything happened really fast. I did hear the gunshot – it was very loud. At first I thought maybe he’d shot the dog, because she [Ava's mother, Andrea Ellis] was saying something about ‘Why would you try to shoot the dog?’ and he [Thomas] said something like the dog was attacking him, or something like that. Then, [Ellis] started saying ‘You shot my kid!’” 

A police spokeswoman seemed to make light of the situation by saying that the child was expected to make a full recovery.

Yes, after being shot by a uniformed law enforcement officer in an attempt to kill her pet, being rushed to the emergency room, undergoing emergency surgery, and spending her summer in bed recovering, instead of playing, her body may heal. But what about her mind?

Reports noted that Thomas, who is on paid administrative leave, was not injured.

“[The officer] was a big guy and they have Tasers and clubs and stuff. I don’t know why you would raise a gun. I really don’t agree with him just pulling his gun out and trying to shoot the dog,” added Parsley.

This incident follows closely on the heels of another incident, also in Ohio, when police responded to a 911 call about a suspicious person in the area.

In a story posted by Cassandra Fairbanks,"The incident took place when dog owner Tyler Muzzi saw a stranger walking around his neighbor’s home. Muzzi called police to check on the situation.

"Minutes later, police arrived and arrested the man who had by that time broken into the house. The situation seemed under control and without incident until Muzzi heard gunshots."

Officers then informed Muzzi that they had shot their dog which was leashed in the family's back yard. The police initially claimed they did not see the leash, but later recanted, stating that the officer did see the leash, but he "felt threatened."

It was reported that five-year-old Emma Muzzi has been feeding and sleeping with a clay figurine of a dog since Miller, the family's one-year-old golden retriever, was killed by three bullet wounds, two of which severed the animal's spine.

Muzzi stated, "My wife and I have been really upset about it. Just heartbroken. But Emma’s been really strong.”

Ozymandias Media, an independent watchdog organization, reported that, "law enforcement in the United States shoots a dog every 98 minutes."

Apparently dogs have about the same survival rate when confronted by law enforcement as young black men.

Miller and Emma Muzzi

[I had no sooner published this blog, when this article came to my intention. On TheWeek.com, under the heading, "INSULT TO INJURY," Bonnie Kristian filed this report:

Salt Lake City resident Sean Kendall's dog, Geist, was shot and killed by a police officer searching for a missing child in 2014. Following local uproar, the city offered Kendall a $10,000 settlement, which he rejected, arguing that, "It would be like, 'For $10,000 you can break into my backyard and kill my dog.' That's not right."

But if he wants to sue the cop responsible for Geist's death, Kendall will need much, much more than $10,000. That's because Utah law requires anyone who wants to sue the police to pay the officer's court costs and attorney fees up front — a bill that could easily run into the tens of thousands, and which would only be reimbursed should Kendall win his case.

Kendall's attorney, former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, argues this requirement "severely undermines the rule of law, while letting abusive law-enforcement officers off the hook for their violations of the state constitution and other state legal protections." Kendall currently awaits a court ruling on whether the legal fees law is unconstitutional.]