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Beloved family dog dies after Henrico officer shot it ‘three times’

Posted at 10:00 PM, Jun 29, 2015
and last updated 2015-06-30 11:10:52-04

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- The Henrico Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit is reviewing an officer’s decision to use lethal force on a dog on Creighton Road Sunday afternoon. The officer stopped to check on a disabled vehicle in the road when the dog ran from a yard and started to charge at him, Henrico Police spokesperson Lt. Chris Eley said.

The officer stuck his foot out to stop the dog, and it bit his pants, he added. Eley said the officer then discharged his firearm.

The dog, named Tyson, belonged to the McFadden family. Family members said the dog had to be put to sleep after the shooting.

Samuel McFadden Jr.  said his family watched the shooting from their yard. He said the dog snuck out of the house and ran to his dad’s truck, which was idling in the median of Creighton Road.

Tyson, the lighter colored dog, was shot.

Tyson, the lighter colored dog, was shot.

While McFadden said the officer was entitled to protect himself from the dog, he said his family believes the officer went too far.

“He could have shot him, and backed up to see if he was going to continue to advance on him. He never gave it that chance. I believe if the officer gave it that chance, I would be visiting my dog right now in the ER,” McFadden said.

McFadden said the officer shot the dog three times.

“He hit him once in each shoulder, and once in the head,” McFadden said.

Lt. Eley said he could not say how many times the dog was shot because of the internal review. He said officers are allowed to use lethal force anytime they are in fear of serious bodily injury or death.

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