Excessive Force or Self defense?

[Jezreel]

A disturbing video of an NYPD officer shooting a charging pit bull in broad daylight in front of dozens of screaming witnesses has been released to Gothamist.
The footage shows how the police officers approached the dog's owner while he was lying unconscious on the street before the animal, named Star, snapped at a bystander's leg.
Star quickly reverses direction and lunges toward the police officer, who shoots it twice before the animal comes to a halt, twitching on the street in agony.

[The police] were telling people standing around to get back, but a lady was standing behind the passed out-guy got a little too close, so the dog nips at her,' a witness told Gothamist.
Johnny Rodriguez told the website that he and three others told the police that there was a passed out man lying in the street.
They saw him having a seizure, lying down on the ground twitching and shaking.

Mr Rodriguez said the two officers called for backup and started to get too close to the man for the dog's comfort.
'I told one of the cops, "Hey, that dog is growling, be careful," but it was too late.
Angered and confused by the encroaching strangers, the dog first went for a bystander, nipping at a woman's leg.

That's when the officer pulled out his weapon and aimed it at Star, who came rushing at him.
He fired his gun twice at the animal, causing it to tumble and then slide across the street before it came to a whimpering halt.
It flailed on the ground for a few moments, before it stopped.
'How could you do that??! How could you do that ??!' one bystander screamed.
The dog survived the gunshots and is recovering at the Animal Care and Control facility on East 110^th Street.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...z23iQLv1rX

[LuciferLynn]

This is a powder keg. As an animal lover, I hate to see an animal harmed. However, the dog was snapping and growling at people and ran at the officer. Should the officer have allowed himself o get bit, possibly mauled? I'm sure the officer didn't think the dog was running up to him to give "kisses". I wish, though, that he had used a bean bag gun instead of actual bullets. The dog still would have been hurt, but not badly and would have run off.

[Riotgear]

Gear in the same situation = Dead dog.

Broad daylight eh? Who writes this shit?

[Jimbone]

I know someone is going to say that they should have waited for animal control blah blah blah... but let's remember that there was an unconscious/unresponsive HUMAN laying on the ground. Waiting while someone may be in medical crisis could be fatal.

While the pit bull may have just been trying to protect its owner, it was actually preventing anyone from helping. Then it became aggressive - as they are well known to do - and became a danger to everyone on a public street.

Good decision by the officer to take the dog down and eliminate the threat.

However, what I find interesting is that after the threat was removed, no one tended to the man for at least the five minutes of the video that you can still see him. In fact it appears someone is trying to restrain the dog with a collar rod while the man continues to lay catatonic on the sidewalk. If I have any criticism, it is that.

[Jezreel]

Riot - This article was posted in the esteemed Mail Online.... need I say more

I would probably do the same thing, if there is a crazed pitbull coming at me and all I have is a gun, then sorry dog, pitbulls are damn scary.

[Riotgear]

So first the dog bystanders then lunged at the cop?

Let's say your good buddy Gear attacked a bystander then lunged at a cop. What do you supposed would happen to your truly?

I wonder if a woman would scream "How could you do that to Gear!?!?"

[ramseycat]

I wonder if firing a shot into the air would have scared the dog off?

[Lady Cop]

I wonder if firing a shot into the air would have scared the dog off?

i doubt it. and you never know where that bullet will land...or on whom.

[ramseycat]

I wonder if firing a shot into the air would have scared the dog off?

i doubt it. and you never know where that bullet will land...or on whom.

True. I was just wondering. I hate to see the dog hurt but then again I don't want an officer to be hurt either. I would probably freeze if I were in that situation.