Weslaco, TX — Americans, it seems, are increasingly becoming desensitized to police violence — to the point that unarmed fathers being gunned down in front of their children barely registers as a blip on the nightly news radar. According to newspaper editors, however, “stories about animal abuse often generate more responses from upset readers than articles about violence directed toward humans.” Reports from police agencies support the claim that “shooting a dog brings more heat down on an agency than an officer-involved shooting of a human.”
One would think that because the stigma associated with police officers shooting dogs is often worse than police officers killing people, that cops would try to shoot fewer dogs. However, as a recent case out of Weslaco, TX shows us, one would be wrong.
Manuel Garcia was sitting at the dinner table with his family Sunday afternoon when they were frightened by the sound of two gunshots in their front yard. When Garcia opened the door to see what was going on, he saw a Weslaco police officer pointing a gun at his dog who was bleeding out just a few feet from their front door.
The Weslaco cop had killed their dog.
“It’s like losing a family member, you know,” Garcia said. “He got shot and they wouldn’t let me take him to the hospital.”
Gator, the family’s beloved pit bull was not loose roaming the streets. He was inside Garcia’s yard, entirely enclosed by a fence, with clearly posted “Beware of Dog” signs all around it.
However, the fence, the signs, the barking — none of this mattered to the officer who decided to trespass into the family’s property to tell them their truck was parked the wrong way on the street.
As KRGV reports, the street the family lives on is a two-way, with no room for parking in the front. Garcia’s cars are parked in the back. On Sunday, Garcia said his truck was parked in front.
“He said we were illegally parked, that he was going to ask us to move the truck,” he said.
So, the cop ignored every one of the signs, walked into the yard and killed the family pet.
“He’s like the dog attacked me and I said, ‘He’s doing his job,’” Garcia said. “He never sounded his horn, he didn’t put his siren, he didn’t use his microphone. He didn’t try to reach us, he didn’t rattle the fence,” he said.
Naturally, the department is standing behind their officer’s actions. They noted that the officer entering the property with ‘beware of dog’ signs all around and killing the family pet — was all within department policy.
The department released the following statement this week:
On Sunday April 9, 2017 at approximately 3:00 p.m. Weslaco Police responded to the area of 200 E. Pike Blvd in reference to an improperly parked vehicle. The on scene Officer observed a vehicle parked on top of the sidewalk facing traffic. The Officer approached the gated residence and made entry through the unlocked front gate. Once inside the property the Officer observed a large, gray Pitbull running towards him. In the Officers attempt to kick the dog it became more aggressive and bit down on the front portion of the Officers boot. It was at this time the Officer feared for his safety and discharged two rounds from his service weapon striking the dog.
Garcia said that he is not taking any chances next time and has since put a lock on his gate.
In the land of the free, police can come onto your private property to tell you your truck is parked incorrectly, kill your dog in front of your family, and this is called ‘standard procedure.’ Well, it’s a damn good thing that — postal workers, delivery truck drivers, pizza delivery drivers, and all the other jobs that require people to go to someone’s home and NOT KILL THEIR DOG — don’t claim the same rights as cops, or family pets would probably be extinct.
Sadly, this trend shows no signs of slowing.
According to some estimates, as John Whitehead points out, a dog is shot by a police officer “every 98 minutes.”
The Department of Justice estimates that at least 25 dogs are killed by police every day.
The Puppycide Database Project estimates the number of dogs being killed by police to be closer to 500 dogs a day(which translates to 182,000 dogs a year).
Because not all police departments keep track of canine shootings, these numbers vary widely. However, whatever the final body count, what we’re dealing with is an epidemic of vast proportions.
Incredibly, in 1 out of 5 cases involving police shooting a family pet, a child was either in the police line of fire or in the immediate area of a shooting.
The so-called “dangerous” breeds of dogs aren’t the only ones that are being killed in encounters with police either.
Journalist Radley Balko has documented countless “dog shootings in which a police officer said he felt ‘threatened’ and had no choice but to use lethal force, including the killing of a Dalmatian (more than once), a yellow Lab , a springer spaniel, a chocolate Lab, a boxer, an Australian cattle dog, a Wheaten terrier, an Akita… a Jack Russell terrier… a 12-pound miniature dachshund… [and] a five-pound chihuahua.”
#1: misterwhite To: Deckard (#0)
The family rejected other names such as, "Vicious", "Malevolent", "Psycho", "Rabid", and "Jack-The-Ripper".
misterwhite posted on 2017-04-14 13:36:55 Reply Private Reply
#2: misterwhite To: Deckard (#0)
Once or twice, maybe. But to go back every 98 minutes ... that's overkill.
misterwhite posted on 2017-04-14 13:41:11 Reply Private Reply
#3: misterwhite To: Deckard (#0)
Well, if they're all greeted by "Gator" the pit bull the same way the cop was greeted, that would explain why they get no mail, pizza, or other deliveries.
misterwhite posted on 2017-04-14 13:45:24 Reply Private Reply
#4: Tooconservative To: Deckard (#0)
You gotta be a pretty tough cop to shoot a 5lb taco-gobbler.
Tooconservative posted on 2017-04-14 13:50:55 Reply Private Reply
#5: Deckard To: misterwhite (#1)
Journalist Radley Balko has documented countless “dog shootings in which a police officer said he felt ‘threatened’ and had no choice but to use lethal force, including the killing of a Dalmatian (more than once), a yellow Lab , a springer spaniel, a chocolate Lab, a boxer, an Australian cattle dog, a Wheaten terrier, an Akita… a Jack Russell terrier… a 12-pound miniature dachshund… [and] a five-pound chihuahua.”
Five pound chihuahua? 12-pound miniature dachshund?
What brave heroes these guys must be!! Why you worship cowards like this is mind-boggling.
Stupid 8th-grade dropout cop was probably too fucking stupid to read the sign.
Since when is it a crime to use a dog of any breed to protect your home.
Good grief - your authority fetish is becoming utterly absurd.
Deckard posted on 2017-04-14 13:51:37 Reply Private Reply
#6: Deckard To: misterwhite (#3)
There was a SIGN POSTED warning of the dog!
WTF - why can't you understand that?
Deckard posted on 2017-04-14 13:53:03 Reply Private Reply
#7: Gatlin To: All (#0)
I read down to this and I could read no further….I can’t stop laughing.
Gatlin posted on 2017-04-14 14:01:45 Reply Private Reply
#8: Stoner To: Deckard (#0)
Wise move. Should also put up signs that say NO TRESPASSING, TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT ON SIGHT.
Stoner posted on 2017-04-14 14:05:04 Reply Private Reply
#9: Deckard To: Gatlin (#7)
You should be laughing at the police department who hired this illiterate prick who can't read a warning sign.
When did it become illegal to own a pit-bull or any other breed of dog for home defense?
Just admit it - the cop was itching for a reason to kill something.
The parking infraction was just an excuse.
Deckard posted on 2017-04-14 14:11:14 Reply Private Reply
#10: Deckard To: Stoner (#8)
He would be within his rights to shoot anyone who disobeyed the sign.
Deckard posted on 2017-04-14 14:11:53 Reply Private Reply
#11: misterwhite To: Tooconservative (#4)
Not only tough but accurate. They're the size of rats. And about as lovable.
misterwhite posted on 2017-04-14 14:35:39 Reply Private Reply
#12: misterwhite To: Deckard (#6)
Legally, visitors must have safe access to your front door without being stopped by your dog.
So there's that.
misterwhite posted on 2017-04-14 14:45:40 Reply Private Reply
#13: Deckard To: misterwhite (#12)
Legally, the homeowner posted a sign warning of the dog.
The cop ignored it.
Or just couldn't read.
Either way, the coward killed a beloved family pet for no reason.
He could have called the homeowner out, but he wanted to kill the dog.
Real fucking "hero".
Deckard posted on 2017-04-14 14:52:29 Reply Private Reply
#14: misterwhite To: Deckard (#13)
Makes no difference. Visitors must have safe access to your front door without being stopped by your dog.
misterwhite posted on 2017-04-14 14:56:36 Reply Private Reply
#15: Stoner To: Deckard (#9)
And the next time someone walks up to a parked cruiser, and shoots the cop, or throws in a bomb, or takes him out from distance with 168 gr HPBT, then Manuel Garcia, and other pet owners will not be able to stop laughing.
I kinda wonder if that rash of police assassinations we had in the past were not some kind of payback? Not good to have people that have been wronged walking around with revenge in their hearts. Especially motivated ones with capability & means.
Cops like this clown are asking for Karma to pay them a visit. One day, Karma will be at his door. Sooner or later, you reap what you sow!!
Stoner posted on 2017-04-14 14:58:06 Reply Private Reply
#16: Deckard To: misterwhite (#14)
People with any modicum of sanity would not ignore the sign.
Deckard posted on 2017-04-14 15:02:45 Reply Private Reply
#17: Deckard To: Stoner (#15)
Cops had better start realizing this - they have made far more enemies than friends.
Deckard posted on 2017-04-14 15:05:12 Reply Private Reply
#18: Stoner To: Deckard (#17)
The good ones, and the smart ones do.
Its the dumb asses that do not.
They are too ego ridden & wrapped up in " might makes right ".
" Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely ". One day their bubble will get burst.
Stoner posted on 2017-04-14 17:23:52 Reply Private Reply
#19: Pinguinite To: misterwhite (#12)
You have a source on that?
Pinguinite posted on 2017-04-16 17:22:26 Reply Private Reply
#20: Justified To: Deckard (#0)
So you have no way for anyone to knock on the front door? Now who's fault is that?
Another pit bit the dust! No biggie! Gawd I hate those dogs!!!!
Justified posted on 2017-04-16 17:31:56 Reply Private Reply
#21: misterwhite To: Pinguinite (#19)
No. It would be in the Weslaco, TX city ordinance.
misterwhite posted on 2017-04-16 18:43:02 Reply Private Reply
#22: Gatlin To: misterwhite, Deckard (#12)
And the answer to that question is emphatically….YES, they can.
Don’t believe that?
Then check out the Supreme Court ruling in Florida v. Jardines, 133 S.Ct. 1409 (2013).
You will find in that ruling, the Supreme Court indicated that a police officer’s right to walk up to a front door of a person’s home is subject to an implied license based on existing social norms. Going on to the property and approaching the front door is a physical intrusion onto the curtilage, Jardines holds. But he lost his case, because the Supreme Court ruled there is an implied license to approach a front door with the intent to knock and try to speak to the homeowner:
As a result of a Supreme Court ruling, the police can legally open the gate to a fence and go to the front door of a home marked with “No Trespassing” or “Beware of Dog” signs. And the police can even “legally take a drug sniffing dog with them up on the front porch” if the choose to do so. This is all to confirm that your “No Trespassing” and “Beware of Dog” signs don’t mean shit when legally, the police “have, must have, safe access to your front door without being stopped by your dog.””So, there’s that.”
Gatlin posted on 2017-04-16 18:49:09 Reply Private Reply
#23: Gatlin To: Justified, Deckard (#20)
”So, there’s that.”
Gatlin posted on 2017-04-16 19:04:41 Reply Private Reply