Hickory Police Officer Shoots Dog On CAMERA!
A North Carolina woman is speaking out after a Hickory police officer shot her family dog, Taz—a Micro Bully, a smaller type of American Bully—in front of her family during a police response in their neighborhood. The emotional moment, caught on video, has left the family traumatized and demanding justice.
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Lakethia Moore says the incident happened Tuesday night around 10:25 p.m. outside her apartment complex known as “The Valley.” According to Moore, officers were responding to a shots fired call in the area for the second time that night when her dog briefly ran off the porch toward the officers — but turned back around. That’s when a Hickory Police Officer shot at the dog four times, Moore says.
“HE WAS COMING BACK TO THE PORCH WHEN THEY SHOT HIM, WE WERE SCREAMING, ‘HE’S FRIENDLY! PLEASE DON’T SHOOT!” MOORE TOLD The North Carolina Beat.
A veterinary report confirms that Taz suffered “multiple gunshot wounds.”
In a shocking video posted to Moore’s Facebook page, Moore and her family are heard yelling Taz’s name and screaming, “He’s friendly! He’s friendly! He’s friendly!” right before an officer fires four shots at the dog.
Earlier that night, Moore says police had already been at the complex, where one officer was seen unloading a shotgun and a pistol before handing the weapons back to the man, shaking his hand, and walking away. Roughly 20 minutes later, officers returned after another report of gunfire—knocking on doors and reportedly searching for the same man, according to Moore.
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Moore says that’s when the situation with Taz happened that has since turned into a nightmare.
“He wasn’t attacking. He was scared,” Moore said. “And he was shot from behind — the bullet went in slanted. He was running back to his yard.”
After the Hickory Police Officer shot the dog, Moore says officers drew their weapons on them, preventing them from helping Taz. When officers finally lowered their guns, Moore rushed to grab her bleeding dog and ran back into the house.
“When they finally put their guns down, I grabbed him and ran in the house with him,” Moore said. “I was covered in blood. My 14-year-old dropped on me, my 8-year-old dropped on me, and my 4-year-old was so traumatized—she stopped breathing, like that’s her buddy.”
WATCH SHOOTING VIDEO BELOW:
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She says her 4-year-old daughter cried uncontrollably, confused and heartbroken. She added that Taz and her daughter are best friends. Moore said Taz is loved in the neighborhood, even by some officers who often pat him when patrolling the area.
“Taz was running to the Black officer. He sees him all the time,” she said. “the officer even jumped over Taz before the fat one shot him.”
Moore questions why officers didn’t use non-lethal force, like a taser, especially since her dog was clearly not attacking.
“He’s scared of balloons. He’s not a threat,” Moore said. “Why y’all didn’t use a taser? ”
Moore went to the Hickory Police Department the next morning (Wednesday) and spoke with Deputy Chief Bryan Adams and Captain Phillip Demas. But she says she was told there was “nothing they could do” and it was her fault because her dog wasn’t on a leash.
“They told me to leash my dog. I said, are y’all gonna leash y’all’s dogs — meaning these trigger-happy officers?”
So far, Hickory PD has not responded to The North Carolina Beat’s request for comment.
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