Minneapolis police are investigating a July 8 incident after a video of a cop shooting two dogs in a fenced-in backyard has surfaced online.
The Minneapolis Police Department have released a statement Sunday saying the police officer was responding to a burglary alarm.
Surveillance video posted on Facebook shows an unidentified cop holding a gun in Jennifer LeMay’s backyard. A dog is then seen approaching the officer with a wagging tail before the cop takes a few steps back.
Moments later, the cop shoots at the dog. A second dog then runs in and the cop appears to shoot at that dog as well. The dogs run away from the cop before he is seen jumping the fence and leaving the residential backyard.
Police have not responded to calls by Global News, however they issued a statement saying they are investigating the incident.
LeMay, the dogs’ owner says that the dogs were not attacking or charging at the officer. On Facebook, she said one of the dogs, named Rocko, is doing well after surgery. He was shot in the side, face and shoulder. The other dog named Ciroc suffered a jaw fracture after he took a bullet to the face.
LeMay has posted updates on Facebook including a video that shows the two dogs resting at home.
LeMay told local newspaper StarTribune that the dogs are Staffordshire terriers that her family have had since they were puppies. The dogs are reportedly emotional support animals for her two sons who suffer from anxiety.
As well, she told the local paper that she was away camping when the incident happened but her daughter was home and accidentally triggered the alarm.
Police have not released any information on the cop who shot the dogs and whether there will be any repercussions.
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