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Robbed, firearms stolen, dog shot

Jeff. State

Banned
Joined
Aug 29, 2012
Messages
650
Location
usa
The video of the "response" from LE on the facebook page is heartbreaking and enraging at the same time.

Man calls to report a burglary, deputy arrives and shoots his dog in the head

RAINS COUNTY, TX — A man says that when he called police to report that his home had been burglarized, he waited hours for an officer to arrive — only to witness his dog promptly being shot in the head by the responding deputy. He says when more backup arrived, they mocked and intimidated him with a taser.
On April 18th, Cole and Jayna Middleton discovered that their home had been broken into. Several items had been stolen, including the family’s firearms. Mr. Middleton phoned the Rains County Sheriff’s Office for help.
Mr. Middleton, a farmer and cattle rancher, tended his crops while waiting approximately 2.5 hours for a deputy to arrive and take a police report. Middleton’s father was in the pasture with him, along with the family’s beloved pet and trusted cow-herder ‘Candy.’ Candy was a 3-year-old Blue Heeler (also known as an Australian Cattle Dog) and weighed approximately 40 pounds. She was sitting in the back of a pickup truck as they worked.
When Rains County Deputy Jerred Dooley arrived, Middleton and his father both say they witnessed the deputy stick his head into the door of their house, which was nearly 40 yards away. Candy barked at the unknown stranger, hopped out of the truck and approached the house “barking like all good dogs do,” Middleton described.
Cole Middeton and his father immediately made their way up to the house to meet the deputy, but it was already too late. Candy was dying on the ground of a gunshot wound to the head.
“I shot your dog, sorry,” Middleton remembers Deputy Dooley telling him.

Middleton says that Candy was shot behind the ear — in the side of her head — a wound he believes indicates that she was not facing the deputy.
The deputy then retreated to his squad car, and using his vehicle loudspeaker, ordered the men “do not approach the vehicle.” Reinforcements were called.
Middleton says that he could not bear to see his dog “yelping and thrashing in unbearable pain.” He asked the deputy to finish her, but he refused. Middleton’s guns had been stolen — the reason for calling the police — so he had no choice but to mercifully end her life with his bear hands; he gathered some water in a bucket and drowned her. He was devastated, and stressed that Candy was only barking and had never been aggressive.
According to the rancher’s account, 3 additional police officers arrived in separate vehicles. A state trooper named Hayes allegedly pulled up and immediately threatened the grieving family with a drawn taser.
Middleton described the four officers as “very intimidating” and decided that documentation was necessary and began filming the encounter with his cell phone. Video shows Trooper Hayes, with his weapon still drawn, mocking the victim by looking into the camera, saying: “Hi mom! Hi Channel 8! How you doing?”
The video documents the six men having a heated discussion for several minutes.


“He pulls up to my place and shoots my damn cow dog,” an upset Mr. Middleton told the other officers. “The man pulled up without cause and shoots my dog.”
“I had no choice. I wasn’t gonna get bit,” Dooley attempted to explain.
Middleton documented the incident in a detailed Facebook account. “When we call on peace officers for their help and assistance we expect them to serve and protect us, especially if we are the victims,” he wrote. “Serve and Protect? More like Invade and Attack.”
Unfortunately the Middletons are the latest victim of a nationwide epidemic of unnecessary pet killings by police — otherwise known as “puppycide



https://www.facebook.com/JusticeforCandyMiddleton

Justice for Candy Middleton
 

marshaul

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Messages
11,188
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia
At this point, if you A: have a dog, and B: ever call the police, you've basically requested euthanasia for your dog - by gunshot. At the very least it's your own damn fault.

/90% sarcasm
 

onus

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
699
Location
idaho
I cant understand why police shoot so many dogs. I am 44 yrs old and I have never shot a dog.
 

Gallowmere

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Messages
210
Location
Richmond, VA
I cant understand why police shoot so many dogs. I am 44 yrs old and I have never shot a dog.

For the same reason they have no problem drawing a gun and "accidentally" shooting an unarmed suspect or twenty. "Officer safety".
 

PistolPackingMomma

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2011
Messages
1,884
Location
SC
It is remarkable to me that a group of such privileged, protected, powerful (Q.I.) individuals are some of the biggest cowards you will ever read of.
 

Jeff. State

Banned
Joined
Aug 29, 2012
Messages
650
Location
usa
He went home at the end of his shift.

And that is all that matters. All that matters with regards to this dogs life, an unarmed citizens life, THE CONSTITUTION, etc.



"Rule #1" in LE land, trumps EVERYTHING else.
 
Last edited:

Jeff. State

Banned
Joined
Aug 29, 2012
Messages
650
Location
usa
It is remarkable to me that a group of such privileged, protected, powerful (Q.I.) individuals are some of the biggest cowards you will ever read of.
When children are killed with toys in their hands, not only do their "brothers" defend them, they will go further to speak of the fears of guns made to look like toys, ie: nerf guns and super soakers that conceal real firearms. They instill fear in each other and FEED on it.

I spent quite a bit of time interacting with LEOs on Policeone, I have a marginal "deputy" status regarding a certain Nat. Park, and only LEOs can comment on their stories. The thin blue line/brotherhood mentality is truly frightening, they will defend and excuse all but the most egregious offenses. A story quite a while back about a cop shooting a black lab while on a walk with it's owner was discussed and ALL dogs in their eyes are "fair game".
 

georg jetson

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2009
Messages
2,416
Location
Slidell, Louisiana
never allow cops on your property ... they can sue the town for the value of the dog ... about $100?

Ya know, I never considered that. If ya gotta report something, do it from a public place. Unless there's a medical emergency where the victim cant be moved, I'll never call 911 or make any voluntary contact with the police from my home.

Good point... NEVER allow cops on your property.
 

stealthyeliminator

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
3,100
Location
Texas
never allow cops on your property ... they can sue the town for the value of the dog ... about $100?

So in a case like this, you'd simply file a report listing the stolen items? I suppose if all they're gonna do is make a report anyway, there's no point in them coming to your home to take it.
 

HPmatt

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2013
Messages
1,467
Location
Dallas
If the Sheriff David Traylor doesn't step up here, I would like to see Mr. Middleton run for Sheriff of Rains county.
Rains county doesn't have any large towns, so it would be mainly farmers voting in the election.

Sheriff David Traylor
Rains County Jail
P. O. Box 398
Emory, TX 75440
Phone: 903-473-5000 ext 280

TV report informs that the Texas Rangers are being put to good use investigating the shooting - as opposed to tracking down violent criminals in the state.
 

mark-in-texas

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2010
Messages
319
Location
Richmond, Tx
I don't understand why the home owner didn't bandage the wound as best he could, jump in his truck with the dog and high tail it to the nearest vet?
I also don't understand why officers have to jump right to lethal force on a DOG! Both pepper spray and tasers work on them to damn it!
 

Jeff. State

Banned
Joined
Aug 29, 2012
Messages
650
Location
usa
I don't understand why the home owner didn't bandage the wound as best he could, jump in his truck with the dog and high tail it to the nearest vet?

The dog was shot in the head behind the ear, most likely with a .40 cal or 9mm. Saving it was most likely not an option. I would also put money on the "officers" stopping the man with threat of the exact same force from doing what you propose.


I also don't understand why officers have to jump right to lethal force on a DOG! Both pepper spray and tasers work on them to damn it!

ALL, I repeat ALL cops are going to lethal force first in any situation and no longer as a last resort. It is crystal clear.
 

Primus

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2013
Messages
3,939
Location
United States
I don't understand why the home owner didn't bandage the wound as best he could, jump in his truck with the dog and high tail it to the nearest vet?
I also don't understand why officers have to jump right to lethal force on a DOG! Both pepper spray and tasers work on them to damn it!

This is actually a good question. I wonder if they had tasers. While its tough to get both prongs in such a small target it is possible and effective if done properly. Problem is you only get one go. One you deploy you have to change cartridge, drive stun, or holster and draw firearm. Sucks.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk
 

MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
Location
Nevada
I'm a serviceman. I meet a dozen strange dogs a day, on their turf. I've never shot one. This is not hard.

And I'm not a "trained professional." Nor am I "held to a higher standard."
 

PistolPackingMomma

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2011
Messages
1,884
Location
SC
Could you imagine the public outrage and swift dispension of "justice" (the lady's blindfold seems to have been slipping lately) if ordinary civilians were going about their business and shooting every barking dog they came across?

Egads...
 

Jeff. State

Banned
Joined
Aug 29, 2012
Messages
650
Location
usa
I wonder if they had tasers. While its tough to get both prongs in such a small target it is possible and effective if done properly. Problem is you only get one go. One you deploy you have to change cartridge, drive stun, or holster and draw firearm. Sucks.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

Yes they had tazers. They had them drawn and threatening the dogs owner and family with them after the shooting.

USPS, UPS, Fed Ex, Utility Meter readers of every sort and MAC702 below, deal with dogs day in day out and don't shoot a single one. They don't have tazers either. Pepper spray if anything at all.

I'm a serviceman. I meet a dozen strange dogs a day, on their turf. I've never shot one. This is not hard.

And I'm not a "trained professional." Nor am I "held to a higher standard."


PUPPYCIDE - a Documentary Trailer for Kickstarter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gPZ3TNkKTo

It happens every 98 minutes across this country.
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
I'm a serviceman. I meet a dozen strange dogs a day, on their turf. I've never shot one. This is not hard.

And I'm not a "trained professional." Nor am I "held to a higher standard."

That's because your CO would say "did you have to shoot that dog" and not "tally another dead dog! 2 more and free pizza for the unit!"
 
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