CALIFORNIA CITY, Calif. (KERO) — Dog shot by California City police officer; owner is angered, saying a gun should not have been used.
- Police body cam video shows an officer shooting a dog near his home on Monday when the dog charged at him
- Raymond Cote says a gun should not have been used and that his dog is loving.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Raymond Cote and his family were cleaning blood outside their home Tuesday in California City... One day after a Cal City police officer shot their dog.
I'm Steve Virgen... your neighborhood reporter.
The dog's name is Ana... a Dogo Argentino... and the family says their struggling to deal with the incident that injured their pet.
“A pain that you can’t explain unless you’re a father…It was just instant rage. When I heard the bang. Just a hundred different things went through my mind. Initially, I thought my son was shot. That’s the first thing that went through my head. Thank God I heard his voice," Raymond Cote says.
Cote describes his first reaction when he heard that his dog was shot on Monday.
On Tuesday, Cote watched police body cam video of Cal City police Sgt. Miguel Rivera shooting his dog. Cote says the gun should not have been used. He said the police were there on a welfare check.
He says his dog is big but loving, especially to his 11-year-old son, Georgie, a child with autism.
Now, the dog is in the hospital in Woodland Hills.
Since the incident occurred... more than $10,000 was raised to help with surgery that is scheduled for Wednesday.
“I call on Mayor Kulikoff, I call on the council board. Michael Kulikoff and Pastor Ron Smith, to check into this. Don’t brush this under the table. This wasn’t just a dog. This was a family member. This was my son’s dog," Cote said.
Cal City Police Chief Jesse Hightower said Tuesday he will not speak on the incident until after an investigation.
Cote says he was very heated with the officers after the shooting and that Hightower calmed the situation.
“Truth be told this ain't the first time the police have been here. They know my dog. They ain’t never been bitten before. Never been attacked before," Cote said.
Cote said he is scheduled to see Ana on Thursday in L.A.
In Cal City I'm Steve Virgen your neighborhood reporter.
CHECK OUT THE INSTRAGRAM VERSION OF THIS STORY:
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UPDATE: New details in the shooting of the dog in California City, as the owner says the animal is making a recovery, but will have to eventually have surgery.
It was thought that surgery wouldn't be needed due to where the bullet was located, but apparently it has moved causing the change, according to owner Raymond Cote.
Cal City police officers responded to Cote's home Monday afternoon for a welfare check of a juvenile in addition to a possible domestic disturbance, CCPD said in a statement.
Body cam footage showed the dog running toward the officer who shot the dog.
CCPD would not comment further than the statement they released on its facebook page, as the incident remains under investigation.
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The following is the Cal City Police Department's statement that it released with the body-cam video on its Facebook page CCPD Calcity.
Critical Incident Video Release
The following statement and body worn camera video are in relation to an officer involved shooting that took place in California City. During this incident, one officer fired one round from his pistol and struck a dog. CCPD is posting this video to be as transparent as possible and to show facts about the incident and how it occurred. An investigation into the use of force is being conducted to determine whether the action of the officer was in compliance with law and department policy. Please note that while CCPD officers wear body worn cameras, these cameras do not capture everything the officer sees or experiences and do not encompass the entirety of the investigation, which includes witness interviews and administrative review. Conclusions about the officer’s actions with regard to law and policy will not be made until the investigation is complete and all facts are known. This video has been shortened to show pertinent details. It does not affect the outcome or details of the incident. Note: The time stamp shown on the video is incorrect and has been addressed. THIS VIDEO MAY CONTAIN STRONG LANGUAGE AND GRAPHIC IMAGES, WHICH MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME PEOPLE. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
On Monday, March 11, 2024, at 1:53 PM, California City Police Officers were dispatched to the 21600 block of Adler Dr for a check the welfare of a juvenile in addition to a possible domestic disturbance. Officers arrived at the location at 1:57 PM and began walking towards the residence. As the first officer approached the driveway while still in the street, a large white dog (Dogo Argentino) had been seated next to a tree in the front yard. The dog saw the officer approaching and then began to charge. The dog had been tied to the tree, but the chain broke as the dog charged at the officer. The officer can be seen back pedaling to create distance, but the dog continued and caught up to the officer, who was now in the street with nowhere to go. Fearing for his own personal safety, the officer fired one round from his duty pistol, which struck the dog causing it to retreat back to the yard. Officers contacted the owner who declined for his dog to be treated or transported to a veterinarian at least three times during the incident and demanded that officers leave his property. As previously stated, this is an ongoing investigation and conclusions about the officer’s actions will not be made until the investigation is complete.
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