# Cops Kill Dog Fleeing Scene of Arrest **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 10, 2003, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-kill-dog-fleeing-scene-of-arrest/147688 "2003-01-10T05:14:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Birefringence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Birefringence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birefringence)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-kill-dog-fleeing-scene-of-arrest/147688/21 "2003-01-11T16:33:01Z")
**Phoenix Dragon** said: > [@](#): > > Watch the video again. The shotgun appears to be pointed down at more than a 45 degree angle when the officer fired. At most, the dog was some 4-6 feet away, I’d guess. Nit pick to the OP. What Phoenix said is true, with the addition of: Look at the dogs tail, its wagg’in away…That pooch was looking to get pet by that cop. Not to have it’s head blown off by a 12 gauge slug. I don’t think the dog was running away, if it was a family dog it was probably looking to get a little affection, not running away… ---
**Author:** ![NothingMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b77776/32.png) [@NothingMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NothingMan)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-kill-dog-fleeing-scene-of-arrest/147688/22 "2003-01-11T16:37:47Z")
There are several stories about this in the Knoxville paper today. I can understand the police were “doing their job”, but honestly they did not seem to use any common sense. * * * _from **Knoxville News-Sentinel** , January 11 2003 :_ "(Officer) Hall said it appeared the dog singled him out 'from the other officers and charged toward me grouling (sic) in an agressive manner. I yelled at the dog to get back but it attepmted to circle me to attack, so I felt I had no other option but to protect myself, I fired once at the dog instantly putting it down. “When asked during our investigation why the passenger door was not closed Lieutenant (Jerry) Andrews indicated that if he or another officer had moved to that side of the car, he would have been in the line of any potential cross-fire. Remember - at this time the troopers on the scene where still under the impression that a felony may have been commited and were acting accordingly.” After the shooting, James Smoak (the dog’s owner) tried to stand up but was wrestled down by troopers. After he was put in a patrol car, he repeatedly asked officers to get a veterinarian but his requests were ignored. “You have all gone crazy” he said. ## Later after the officers determined the family had commited no crime, they gave Smoak a plastic bag to collect the dogs carcass after he told them to leave his former pet alone. “You’ve done enough,” he said. The attitude the police had was quite disturbing. Again, I understand that they supposedly did not know what they were involved with . . . but come on. Its a family, you have them peacefully in handcuffs. Why not close the damn door and figure out what is going on **before** you treat them like common criminals ?? Here this man just saw his beloved pet shot dead and the blasted cops have to throw him to the ground like _he’s_ done something. Pisses me off. The wife was quoted as saying “I’ll never set foot in this state again.” Personally I have enjoyed my stay in Tennessee, but I don’t blame her one damn bit. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-kill-dog-fleeing-scene-of-arrest/147688/23 "2003-01-11T16:50:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Johnny L.A. \* > Feeling the draft as you get “whooshed”, **Coldie**? 😃 Dammit, I _hate_ it when that happens. 🙂 FWIW, the video doesn’t play for me, for some obscure reason. Tennessee fascists. ---
**Author:** ![jack\_ss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c77e96/32.png) [@jack\_ss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jack_ss)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-kill-dog-fleeing-scene-of-arrest/147688/24 "2003-01-11T21:53:12Z")
I saw the video last night at work, the dog looks like he’s expecting to be petted. Here we have another ‘pitbull’ being killed, mistreated, etc for being a ‘pitbull’. Just like teenagers & redneck idiots getting a tough dog & making him mean. I worry about the police stopping me on the road with my dog in the car. He’s a well-trained 60 pound bundle of love, but humans are afraid of him because of his breed, his build & the shape of his head. As for Officer Hall getting death threats, that doesn’t surprise me. Not saying I advocate that sort of thing, but if it was my dog I would find the best attorney who would take the case on a contingency & sue the state of Tennesee as well as Eric Hall personally. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-kill-dog-fleeing-scene-of-arrest/147688/25 "2003-01-12T01:08:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Vinnie Virginslayer \* > **How did that police officer know that that dog was NOT carrying some of the stolen money in its mouth, only to drop it off at an undisclosed location?** .:.dies of laughter.:. Hahahahaha! Oh boy, those cops were jerks. ---
**Author:** ![Jaakko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@Jaakko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaakko)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-kill-dog-fleeing-scene-of-arrest/147688/26 "2003-01-12T01:26:28Z")
People are going to hate me for this, but… **It’s coming right for us!** 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Phoenix\_Dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Phoenix\_Dragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phoenix_Dragon)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-kill-dog-fleeing-scene-of-arrest/147688/27 "2003-01-12T06:22:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Birefringence \* > **Nit pick to the OP. What Phoenix said is true, with the addition of: Look at the dogs tail, its wagg’in away…** And I’ve got a scar along my ribs from a dog that was wagging its tail. I was lucky I was just a foot from the furthest it could get with its chain, only got one quick attack in before I could back out of range. And the video only shows the first half-second to second of behavior, we don’t know if the dog changed behavior after it went off camera and circled around. That dog I met sure changed quick… ---
**Author:** ![broys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@broys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/broys)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-kill-dog-fleeing-scene-of-arrest/147688/28 "2003-01-12T22:43:52Z")
That cop is lucky that wasn’t me and MY dog in the car… ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-kill-dog-fleeing-scene-of-arrest/147688/29 "2003-01-12T22:55:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by broys \* > \*\*That cop is lucky that wasn’t me and MY dog in the car… \*\* Those are some awfully threatening ellipses you have there! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-kill-dog-fleeing-scene-of-arrest/147688.md?page=1)