Phoenix Dragon said:
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…
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.
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.
Dammit, I hate it when that happens. 
FWIW, the video doesn’t play for me, for some obscure reason. Tennessee fascists.
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.
.:.dies of laughter.:. Hahahahaha! Oh boy, those cops were jerks.
People are going to hate me for this, but…
It’s coming right for us!
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…
That cop is lucky that wasn’t me and MY dog in the car…
Those are some awfully threatening ellipses you have there!