LAPD releases body-camera video of officer shooting pet dog during wellness check
The Los Angeles Police Department made public body-camera footage showing an officer fire four shots at a Saint Bernard doodle after a wellness check, prompting a promised investigation and public criticism.
Los Angeles police on Friday released body-camera video that shows an officer firing four rounds at a two-year-old Saint Bernard doodle after responding to a welfare check at an apartment on Jordan Avenue. The incident occurred Saturday night when officers arrived after a neighbor reported a woman screaming inside the unit. The woman, Marie Marseille, was asked to secure the dog, which was wearing a Knicks shirt and continued to bark as officers moved through the hallway. After the dog approached a second officer, that officer drew his handgun and shot, killing the animal. Marseille was heard screaming, "No!" as the dog fell.
Police Chief Jim McDonnell said the department will conduct a full investigation, noting that officers are expected to use “sound judgment, restraint, and respect for life” and that the incident will be reviewed against LAPD Use of Force Directive No. 11, which outlines non-lethal options for dog encounters. Mayor Karen Bass called the shooting “disturbing and tragic” and announced a city review of officer training for such situations.
The neighbor who placed the call expressed remorse, saying she felt responsible after learning the outcome. The family has hired attorneys and launched a GoFundMe that has raised over $200,000. The case adds to ongoing scrutiny of LAPD’s handling of canine encounters, which have declined in recent years but remain a point of public concern.
