She Struggled in Fear, Restrained, They Still Shot Her Dead

Commerce City police are defending shooting Chloe five times while restrained on a catch pole.

They would.

I rarely read of a police agency that admits wrongdoing when killing someone, human or nonhuman. It may be simple legal obligation, but I believe it's more than that. I believe, in many of these cases, police officers feel they are doing the right thing.

And this frightens me.

It scares me greatly that anyone would defend what happened to Chloe.

She was being cared for by a cousin while her guardian went on vacation. Left in the garage, she tripped a sensor that opened the door. The neighbor across the street saw the dog running loose and was concerned for the dog's safety - he called  police.

Animal control and police arrive. Chloe, faced with strange, aggressive men and women, retreats to the only safe place she knows - the garage. She sits down. She is tasered twice, temporarily stunned, further confused and frightened.

I will tell you something. I have no doubt in my mind that the officer who shot Chloe five times while restrained intended to shoot Chloe five times while restrained. He did not intend to allow the animal control officer to do her job, to use a catch pole and transfer a frightened animal to her truck. He intended to murder, I mean DEFEND THE NATION from Chloe the moment that noose slipped around her neck and tightened.

I see a dog scared. I see a dog who is not a threat to anyone. I see a dog who when that catch pole finally sealed her death sentence, tried to run away. This is important to me. Chloe did not try to fling herself dramatically onto the throat of the animal control officer. She tried to run away. At no point did she try to bite anyone. She did not lunge or charge at officers.

She was simply a scared dog sitting safely in a garage.

And for that, for that violation, she was shot five times and killed.

There is no defense. What happened to Chloe is offensive and horrifying. She was not a threat to public safety. Point of fact, the officer shooting off five bullets in the middle of a residential neighborhood - shooting at a dog while she thrashes at the end of a catchpole - is FAR more dangerous than Chloe was or ever would have been had she lived.

Shame on that officer. Shame on us. Shame on a culture that permits "officers of the law" to violate said law and get away with the brutal, senseless killing of a scared, restrained dog.