JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A local woman who shot and killed a neighbor’s dog as it viciously attacked her pet earlier this month in her driveway wants to clear her name. The incident on Oct. 5 was captured on a Ring camera.
April Bell says she’s being intimidated in her neighborhood and on social media by the owners of Loki, the dog she shot and killed. She says the video of the incident sheds new light on why she chose deadly force. Loki’s owner says she could have stopped the attack in another manner and wants criminal charges filed.
WARNING: Surveillance video below may be upsetting for some to watch
“Shorty sustained a front left leg fracture and multiple, multiple, deep puncture wounds,” Bell said. Her Shih Tzu ran out of the garage and into its front yard to confront a mixed foxed terrier that was approaching. That dog, Loki, slipped out of its leash as it was being walked by its owner’s friend.
RELATED: Attorney explains legalities of why woman who shot and killed dog won’t be charged
“The dog just had Shorty by the throat and just slinging him like a rag doll,” Bell said. She said she tried to get the dog off hers by swinging a bag she had at the dog’s head, which didn’t work. Seconds later, she runs back into her garage to get a broomstick, attempting to poke Loki into releasing her dog from its jaws.
“Just a vicious, very vicious attack,” she said.
According to the time stamp on the video — 31 seconds pass before Bell makes the decision to grab a handgun from inside her car. She said Loki wasn’t letting go of Shorty even though he was being punched. Bell said she felt like she had no other choice but to save her dog’s life.
“The gentleman who was walking the dog — he was trying, he was wailing on the dog,” Bell said. “And I told the gentleman to move, I said, ‘Sir move, I have to shoot your dog, I have to shoot the dog.’ He moved. You know, I was mindful of my surroundings, making sure no one else was around. I tried to aim the gun a little bit lower towards the ground, and took a deep breath and fired a shot.”
According to Loki’s owner, the bullet went in and out of his ribs, leading to him being euthanized at the vet.
Loki belongs to John Roberts who says the dog he rescued didn’t deserve to be shot to death.
“It’s reckless, end of the day, it’s reckless and it irritates me she would do this,” Roberts said. “There was a water hose on the side of the house, the same distance away from where the gun is.”
Roberts questions why Bell didn’t reach out to his family, concerned about Loki’s wellbeing. He says in his opinion, this incident warrants criminal charges.
“We’re wondering why the State Attorney is not filing charges, why isn’t Melissa Nelson filing charges?” Roberts asked.
“When a dog is in a frenzy like that and not listening to the dog walker, and the dog walker has tried to do what he could do, there wasn’t anything else to do. I really do not regret my decision. It was an unfortunate situation but I do not regret my decision,” Bell said.
Bell says when she wasn’t home, Loki’s owners set up a makeshift memorial for their dog in her front yard. She says the shooting is not something she wants to be reminded of every day and she feels intimidated by it. Loki’s owners believe their dog deserves the respect.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office did refer this case to the State Attorney’s Office which advised there were no criminal violations that should be addressed.