Police Officer Shows Up at Wrong House, Kills Homeowner’s Dog

[sandinista! 1,816]

An Austin man is fuming over what he says was the unjust killing of his dog by a police officer who arrived at his house by mistake.

Michael Paxton was playing Frisbee with his 50-pound Australian cattle dog Cisco last Saturday, when officer Thomas Griffin, responding to a call about a domestic disturbance, showed up outside his East Fifth Street home.

Paxton, who had walked over to his driveway to get something from his truck, says Griffin drew his weapon as soon as he noticed him.

"He had a Taser. He had pepper spray. I don't understand why, in broad daylight, he pulled a gun on me. I wasn't running. I wasn't hiding," Paxton told ABC News. "I was just saying, 'I live here.' I was panicking. I was afraid for my life."

Just then, Cisco came running from the backyard, barking and charging in the direction of the officer. "I said, 'Don't shoot him. Don't shoot my dog. He won't bite you'," Paxton recalled. "But he shot him, just like that. It all happened in under 30 seconds."

Adding insult to injury, it seems Griffin had the wrong address: The domestic disturbance report came from next door.

At a news conference held yesterday, Sgt. David Daniels said Griffin felt threatened by Cisco, and was "basically in retreat when he fired." Added Cpl. Anthony Hipolito: "[Paxton] was unable to [restrain Cisco] and the dog continued to attack and that's when the officer discharged his firearm."

Griffin said an Austin Police Department supervisor apologized to Paxton, and Hipolito claims Griffin apologized at the scene, but Paxton denies this. Friends of the 40-year-old, who said he was "in shock for probably almost 24 hours," have set up a Facebook page called "Justice for Cisco," which, at the time of writing, has over 40,000 followers.

http://gawker.com/5902729/police-officer-shows-up-at-wrong-house-kills-homeowners-dog

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Texas.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Police should no thave guns. There would be a lot less crime.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Texas.

Agreed.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Doesn't Texas allow you to shoot people messing with your vehicle while it is parked in your driveway, as long as it is between sunset and sunrise?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Doesn't Texas allow you to shoot people messing with your vehicle while it is parked in your driveway, as long as it is between sunset and sunrise?

Mischief after dark, of course.

[Dan and Judy 614]

the dog was black, officer just following sop

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Doesn't Texas allow you to shoot people messing with your vehicle while it is parked in your driveway, as long as it is between sunset and sunrise?

Criminal mischief at night is one of the acceptable situations where deadly force CAN be used, but like all other instances of deadly force it must be established that a reasonable man would have concluded that the use of deadly force was the only way to stop the offense without exposing oneself or another person to risk of death or serious injury. So it is, in effect, nearly impossible to say "this guy was messing with my car and I had to kill him by shooting him from out of the kitchen window" If someone is slashing your tires you can stay inside and call the cops. If they are beating another person and the offense needs to be stopped immediately you can shoot them from out of the window.

Criminal mischief is tossed in there with a host of other offenses, including rape, robbery, etc.

At one time ALL self defense shootings in Texas had to go to a Grand Jury to determine if it was justified, as far as I know it is still the same.

[luckytxn 2,264]

Doesn't Texas allow you to shoot people messing with your vehicle while it is parked in your driveway, as long as it is between sunset and sunrise?

24 hours. No one is stupid enough to put a time limit an owner can shoot to kill for messing with his vehicle. As for my house, if I hear someone messing with my vehicles he had better be hauling azz when my door comes open because I am coming out armed.

Edited April 19, 2012 by luckytxn

[luckytxn 2,264]

the dog was black, officer just following sop

Holy chit. That was funny.

[luckytxn 2,264]

An Austin man is fuming over what he says was the unjust killing of his dog by a police officer who arrived at his house by mistake.

Michael Paxton was playing Frisbee with his 50-pound Australian cattle dog Cisco last Saturday, when officer Thomas Griffin, responding to a call about a domestic disturbance, showed up outside his East Fifth Street home.

Paxton, who had walked over to his driveway to get something from his truck, says Griffin drew his weapon as soon as he noticed him.

"He had a Taser. He had pepper spray. I don't understand why, in broad daylight, he pulled a gun on me. I wasn't running. I wasn't hiding," Paxton told ABC News. "I was just saying, 'I live here.' I was panicking. I was afraid for my life."

Just then, Cisco came running from the backyard, barking and charging in the direction of the officer. "I said, 'Don't shoot him. Don't shoot my dog. He won't bite you'," Paxton recalled. "But he shot him, just like that. It all happened in under 30 seconds."

Adding insult to injury, it seems Griffin had the wrong address: The domestic disturbance report came from next door.

At a news conference held yesterday, Sgt. David Daniels said Griffin felt threatened by Cisco, and was "basically in retreat when he fired." Added Cpl. Anthony Hipolito: "[Paxton] was unable to [restrain Cisco] and the dog continued to attack and that's when the officer discharged his firearm."

Griffin said an Austin Police Department supervisor apologized to Paxton, and Hipolito claims Griffin apologized at the scene, but Paxton denies this. Friends of the 40-year-old, who said he was "in shock for probably almost 24 hours," have set up a Facebook page called "Justice for Cisco," which, at the time of writing, has over 40,000 followers.

http://gawker.com/59...-homeowners-dog

I feel bad for the guy. It is a high price to pay for living in Austin, Tx. Hate to see the police department there is still as inept as I remember them.