A North Carolina family claimed Monday the police officer who allegedly fatally shot their dog Sunday killed the wrong one, according to WXII 12.
Adam Barnes, owner of the dog named Hank, said the officer “shot my black Lab for no reason. First off, I don’t have a German Shepherd,” per WXII 12.
“I dropped to my knees. I didn’t know what to do. I was broken. I couldn’t bring him back.” Barnes said.
A police officer responded Sunday morning to a call from a woman concerned about a stray German Shepherd in her yard, according to a High Point Police Department press release. The officer could not catch the dog, and a neighbor reportedly pointed the officer in the wrong direction and sent him to the incorrect home.
“A black dog (not the German Shepherd) came out from behind the home, barking aggressively, and charged at the officer,” the press release noted.
“The officer backed up as the dog continued to charge and shot the dog four times, killing the dog. The dog was about 5-7 feet away from the officer when it was shot,” the press release continued. (RELATED: Bodycam Footage Appears To Show Police Officer Fatally Shooting Family’s Labrador Mix)
‘Shot my black lab for no reason’: High Point police shoot, kill ‘wrong’ dog, family says https://t.co/PmzDEfNrdM
— WXII 12 News (@WXII) July 10, 2023
“Pow, pow, pow, pow! Just like that, and before I could get down here, the dog was dead,” Lee Barnes, Adam’s father, said.
“What are you doing? You just killed my son’s pet. He’s going to be devastated.” Lee said.
“The dog was within his own yard, and he had no reason to shoot. If the officer was fearful for his life, he could’ve got back in his vehicle faster than he shot four shots,” Lee’s wife added.
Adam said his dog of nine years was just doing what any other would do.
“There was a stranger in front of his house, while his family is out there, and he doesn’t know them from Adam, he’s gonna bark. He’s gonna run. A good dog is gonna do that.”
Adam added he was “not out here to, you know, call for anybody’s job or to get anybody fired, but I do want you guys to acknowledge what happened.” “I want somebody to come out and say that they’re sorry.”
Police are investigating the incident.