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Owner says dog was fatally shot by Jacksonville police officer

Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says incident is being administratively reviewed

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A woman tells News4JAX that she and her family are outraged after their dog was shot and killed by a Jacksonville police officer.

The owner said that around 6:30 a.m. Monday, she heard her dogs barking, and then walked out into her yard where she noticed her gate open and her dogs in the yard. She said when she turned around, a teenage boy was on her car. When she went to get her husband, she said, the teen took off running down the street back to his house.

That teen’s mother then called police, the owner said, reporting that the dogs were chasing her son.

“A JSO officer comes to the front door and says he had a call that my dogs had been chasing an individual down the road,” said the owner, Kimberly Barus. “I explained to him that my dogs were not outside the fence at any time. He proceeded to ask me to unlock the gate to see if the dogs would come out.”

She said her dog, Lucy, came out and got close to the officer and then gave him a playful nip. She said the officer drew his gun and fired at Lucy.

“The first shot missed. But he continued to fire on the side of the car until she was deceased,” Barus said.

Barus said her dog was killed while attempting to run away from the officer. And she said the officer was wearing a bodycam that will prove her dog was not a threat to the officer.

“I want the bodycam released,” Barus said. “I know there was a bodycam and I want everyone to see the first shot to my dog was missed, that she was running away from him and he continued to fire.”

After the dog was killed, Barus said, her oldest son went after the officer for killing the family pet.

“All I could do was get my son away from the ordeal so the officer did not shoot him because he reached for his gun twice on my son,” Barus said.

Her son was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault on a police officer. Court records show he pleaded no contest and was sentenced to time served for the one day he spent in jail.

News4JAX has requested a copy of the bodycam video and a response from JSO about the case. We received this statement that reads:

“The incident you are inquiring about continues to be administratively reviewed as per policy. The subsequent criminal case for ‘Simple Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer’ remains an ongoing, active case.”

Barus said she plans to file a lawsuit against JSO.

A nearby neighbor says her door was open at the time of the incident and that she never saw the dogs chase after the teenager.

Barus said when the officer was firing, it scared the other dog and it took off down the street and hasn’t returned, but the dog is microchipped.


About the Author
Erik Avanier headshot

Award-winning broadcast and multimedia journalist with 20 years experience.

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