LF: Police officer shot dead after pointing stun gun at man's dogs as he attended domestic disturbance

Title: Police officer shot dead after pointing stun gun at man's dogs as he attended domestic disturbance
Source: Daily Mail Online
URL Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art ... inting-stun-gun-mans-dogs.html
Published: Aug 14, 2011
Author: Daily Mail Reporter
Post Date: 2011-08-14 20:23:45 by Sebastian
Keywords: None
Views: 27884
Comments: 35

A police officer killed while responding to a domestic disturbance in a small eastern Pennsylvania borough had pointed a stun gun at two dogs before being shot, court records reveal.

Freemansburg police officer Robert Lasso had pointed at the attacking dogs when the homeowner pulled out a shotgun and fired the fatal blast on Thursday evening.

In police custody, the alleged gunman, 46-year-old George Hitcho Jr, said he had told Mr Lasso to get off his property and not come on unless he had a warrant, authorities said.

Killed: Robert Lasso was shot dead as he attended a domestic disturbance

'He tried to kill my dogs and pointed a gun in my face,' Hitcho said, according to the documents. 'I do not care if you a cop or not ...Unbelievable.'

The officer had been responding to a report of a disturbance and ended up at the back of Hitcho's house, authorities said.

Police Chief George Bruneio, who arrived after Mr Lasso requested assistance, instructed him to 'shoot the dogs' and that's when the homeowner pulled out a shotgun and fired, authorities said.

Mr Lasso, 31, a married father of two, was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett has ordered flags in the Capitol complex and in Northampton County to be flown at half-staff to honour Mr Lasso.

Disturbance: The owner of the Pennsylvania home allegedly told Mr Lasso to get off his property before shooting him

Honoured: Mr Lasso, 31, was a married father of two

'Robert, he was so good,' said his mother, Elsie Stem. 'He was so loved, especially by his kids. Now they have to grow up without a daddy. It's not fair.'

Mr Lasso's funeral will be held on Tuesday. Yesterday a procession was held in his memory as his body was transported from hospital to a funeral home.

I'm talking to the trigger happy phycho's with the badges, if you put a mans children, or their pets, that are not a threat, if you place them in a situation where you threaten to shoot them, and you get shot in the face instead, then JUSTICE WAS SERVED!!

That isn't entirely what happened in the discussion contained within the article. Based on the story, Lasso was attempting to investigate a domestic disturbance, although it appears at another house directly behind Hitchco.

Lasso was attacked by two dogs running free in the alley separating the two homes.

Above has a link: http://www.fugitive.com/2011/08/13/freemansburg-police-officer-robert-lasso-shot-and-killed-in-the-line-of-duty-watch-video-here/

Alley ways are publick property, not private property. If two dogs or any varmints play aggressive with me, I would kill them too.

I stand by my post! Nowhere in this article does it say Lasso was 'attacked' by the dogs, if he had, he would have shot them before his captain got there!

You are over reacting to a single article. You should have enough wit about you by now, to research an article or even other articles to catch a better understanding of a tragic event.

In fact, researching Hitcos background, he a drug user and has already pleaded guilty to at least one offense. Wise up! Cops can be nasty (there is no question there) but as I pointed out earlier when dogs attack anyone, particularly on publick property that same person can and should use deadly force against them.

It would have been an entirely different matter IF and only IF Lasso was on Hitco's private property; but that isn't the case. In fact, those dogs should have been impounded a long time ago because they were in violation of city ordinances running loose.

Hitco is facing the death penalty. I hope he swings high and long based on his overreaction on publick property about an officer of the law attempting to perform his duties in a complaint altogether removed from his own home.