The Los Angeles Police Department has released bodycam footage showing an officer firing four shots, killing a dog named Jameson in Canoga Park. The incident occurred on Saturday when officers responded to a call at the apartment of Marie Marseille, the dog's owner.
In the video, Marseille cracks her door open, and Jameson, a golden retriever-Saint Bernard-poodle mix, pokes his head out and barks. The officer, visibly startled by the dog's size, shouts at Marseille to put the dog away. Moments later, he fires four times, fatally wounding Jameson.
Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement expressing her concern: "What I saw on the bodycam footage is disturbing and tragic. While the investigation is ongoing, I am very concerned about why shots were fired and Jameson was killed." She has directed the Police Commission and Chief to review the department's use-of-force policy regarding dog encounters.
The LAPD is facing renewed scrutiny over its handling of animal encounters, with critics arguing that non-lethal methods should be prioritized.