Police Body Camera Video Shows Miami Officer Fatally Shooting Pet Dog
The Unfortunate Incident
Video shows the moments a police officer shot and killed a pet dog in a Miami park. NBC6 Investigates exclusively obtained the video from police body-worn cameras showing the shooting and the moments leading up to it.
The Events Leading Up to the Shooting
Nicole Iyescas and her daughter Esmeralda previously spoke with NBC6 after they say an officer with Miami Police shot and killed their one-year-old dog Miso in Sewell Park last April. A police report states that officers went to the park on South River Drive for a dog bite complaint, after a man reported Miso bit him. A photo from Miami-Dade Animal Services shows a wound on the man’s upper arm.
The Shooting
Nicole says the man walked close to the bench where she was sitting, she lost her grip on Miso’s leash, and the man fell. Video shows officers talking to the man as Nicole and Miso, on a leash, wait several feet away. Nicole says what happened next set off her already nervous dog.
The Confrontation
Video shows one officer walk up to Nicole and Miso, who was sitting behind her. Miso suddenly starts barking and jumps toward the officer, still on the leash. Video shows the officer kick the dog in the face and take a step backward. Nicole appears to lose her balance and her grip on the leash. The dog runs toward the officer, who falls to the ground, and another officer fires one shot, hitting Miso. The entire encounter lasted six seconds. Miso lies bleeding in the grass for several minutes before dying.
The Aftermath
You can see the dog suffering, Nicole said. She believes if the officer had backed up when Miso started barking, instead of kicking him, this wouldn’t have happened. Miso was just trying to escape, she added.
Police Response
Miami Police claim their internal affairs unit found the officers followed policy and departmental orders. However, Nicole disagrees and says the shooting could have put others at risk. It’s a dangerous situation in the public park, she said.
Expert Analysis
The team at Broward Animal Care has animal control officers who respond to these calls, often alongside police, but were not involved in this incident. When you’re scared or nervous, your pets tend to be more protective, according to field supervisor Philip Goen. If you have an escalated situation, that’s what we would call a trigger for an animal. Behavior and training manager Jamie Devereaux agrees, saying it’s always best to give a dog space when possible. If a dog is perceiving you as a threat, any direct eye contact or forward posture towards the dog, those are all things that the dog is probably going to interpret the wrong way.
Conclusion
The incident raises questions about police training and procedures when dealing with animals. While officers have a priority to ensure public safety, it’s crucial to consider the well-being of animals involved. The Iyescas family hopes that this incident will lead to changes in the way police respond to animal-related calls.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened on the day of the incident?
The police were called to the park for a dog bite complaint, and an officer shot and killed the dog. - What was the dog’s behavior like before the shooting?
The dog was on a leash and calm when police arrived at the park. - Did the police follow procedure?
According to the police, they followed policy and departmental orders, but the family disagrees. - What does the animal control team have to say about the incident?
The team at Broward Animal Care emphasizes the importance of giving dogs space and not making direct eye contact or forward postures towards them.
