A Los Angeles woman sued the city’s police department for shooting her dog Jameson “in cold blood” during a welfare check last month, after neighbors mistook the woman’s screams of delight over the New York Knicks’ recent NBA Finals win for cries of distress.
“Jameson had not bitten anyone, had not charged the officers, or done anything that would have signaled an imminent threat of serious bodily harm,” reads the federal civil rights suit from Marie Marseille, 45.
The officer who killed Jameson “fired multiple shots and killed Jameson in cold blood, without trying to calm Jameson down, or giving Plaintiff a chance to calm or quiet Jameson down,” the suit adds of the June 13 incident.
In body camera footage of the encounter, released last month, the two officers responding to the call at Marseille’s Canoga Park apartment can be heard fretting over the size of Jameson, a gold retriever, Saint Bernard and poodle mix.
“Jeez, that’s a big a** dog,” one officer says.
“I ain’t getting bit by that, bro,” the other says.
Jameson’s owners can be heard telling the police he’s “not aggressive at all.”
In the footage, after his owners briefly closed the door to the apartment then opened it again, Jameson runs out the door and heads towards one officer while barking.
Moments later, the officer fires his pistol multiple times at the approaching dog. Jameson’s owners can be heard screaming in the background.
The suit accuses the city and officers of failing to follow the LAPD police manual, conducting an unlawful seizure, carrying out negligent conduct and failing to properly train officers.
The department’s critical incident review division is scrutinizing the shooting. It will then forward its findings to the chief of police and a civilian police review board.
The LAPD does not comment on pending litigation, according to the city.
“The loss of a pet is deeply personal,” LAPD chief Jim McDonnell wrote in a statement on X last month. “For many, a dog is not simply an animal; it is a companion, a source of comfort, and a member of the family.”
“This shooting makes clear that while LAPD provides officers with written guidance on the use of force and pets, this is not enough,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement after the body camera footage was released, calling the evidence “disturbing and tragic.”
A GoFundMe organized in Jameson’s memory has raised more than $248,000.
“In honor of Jameson, our family intends to establish the Jameson Marseille Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of animals through advocacy, education, animal encounter training, rescue support, veterinary care initiatives, and direct assistance to animal welfare organizations,” a statement on the page reads.
Police kill approximately 10,000 pet dogs per year, according to the Justice Department.
Officers shooting dogs is among the most common uses of deadly police force.
