The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office released body camera footage - the first of JSO's new program that rolled out Nov. 1 - of an officer shooting and killing a dog while responding to a home alarm call.
JSO previously said it wouldn't release body camera video but posted a graphic, 2 minute and 46 second video of the confrontation on its Facebook page Friday .
The video, JSO said, confirms the officer's account of what happened.
The video was taken Wednesday when an officer responded to a house alarm call on Maple Avenue.
The officer is seen walking around the home, even peering into the windows in the video. As the officer passes a blind spot, a pit bull terrier appears and lunges toward the officer.
The officer is seen backing away, and the dog follows, growling. The video continues with the officer firing a single shot as he continues to back away, killing the dog instantly.
WJAX-TV is not showing the complete video, as many viewers may find it disturbing, but it can be seen on JSO's Facebook page.
JSO says its response to resistance investigation is over and the camera video confirms what the officers says happened. Full statement:
On Wednesday, December 19, 2018 the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was requested to respond to a residence in reference to an alarm activation. It was also reported, individuals in the residence were unable to provide the required security code to cancel the alarm notification. Therefore, an officer was dispatched to the residence to investigate. During the officer’s investigation, he came into contact with and was chased by a dog on the premises. The officer was forced to draw his issued firearm and subsequently shot the dog, being in fear for his safety.
The Response to Resistance investigation has been completed. The body worn camera footage confirms the officer’s account of the incident and provides viewers a clear understanding of the events as they unfolded.
Due to the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the incident – we consider the video to be graphic in nature and it also contains language that may not be suitable for all viewers. The video can be accessed and viewed at the following link:
Note: Due to restrictions in our public records system, the video must be downloaded prior to viewing and may not play from a mobile device.
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