When police officer Thomas Griffin arrived to the address last Saturday, he witnessed Michael Paxton playing Frisbee with his dog, Cisco.
According to reports obtained by CBS Houston, the officer yelled at Paxton to show him his hands. The police car dashboard cam then caught Cisco coming to his owner’s rescue by barking at the officer. The officer responded by yelling, “Get your dog!”
Griffin then opened fire on Cisco, killing the dog.
“The dog ran to his feet, he lowered his aim and shot the dog and raised his aim back up at me and told me to get back,” Paxton told WAFB-TV. “My dog never made a move to attack him other than the challenging him and barking. He ran to his feet.”
The Austin Police Department issued an apology for the incident. Per department policy, an investigation always takes place after an officer fires their weapon.
Police did not answer why the officer used a firearm instead of a stun gun.
“We are not going to second-guess our officer,” Sgt. David Daniels told KSEE-TV. Sgt. Daniels also added that officers have a right to use their weapons if they feel threatened by animals.
Paxton says the dog had never bitten anybody and would not have bitten the officer.
“He shows that behavior, then he sniffs you and wants to be scratched,” Paxton told KSEE-TV.
Paxton and his supporters have set up a Facebook page called “Justice for Cisco” which already has more than 60,000 supporters. He is discouraging any negative comments about the officer.
“I can’t bring my dog back, but I want something positive to come out of this,” he told KSEE.
Officer Griffin is still on active duty.
SOURCE: CBS Houston
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