Back in 2008, a couple's dog was shot and killed during the execution of a no-knock warrant performed by the paramilitary SWAT. They are now suing Howard County over the raid. The two were acquitted of any charges and it was an acquaintance at the resident in possession of drugs, not the couple themselves (who have no prior criminal record).
I'm not necessarily buying all the claims made in the lawsuit, but SWAT has been known to shoot dogs through screen doors and, in another Maryland case, shot and killed dogs running away from them so I don't find it surprising they might take out the dog(s) first.
The article also refers to the February 2009 incident in which Howard County SWAT invaded a home and killed the family's dog. In the article above, officials claim Howard County SWAT had a really good reason to invade the home - stolen weapons. That were never found, by the way, and that had nothing to do with the family actually in residence at the time (the step-son was the guilty party and hadn't lived there for three years).
Showing posts with label howard county. Show all posts
Showing posts with label howard county. Show all posts
Friday, July 31, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
SWAT: No knock warrant results in death of dog
An Australian cattle dog is dead after SWAT paramilitary raided a house using a no-knock warrant.
Just imagine, for one moment, you, your 12-yr-old kid and your spouse are sitting down to watch some television when the door is blown open and a dozen heavily armed, uniformed people storm in. Then imagine your dog doing what a dog does when threatened and being shot at three times. A bullet misses and lands in your mattress.
That's what happened to the family in the article when Howard County SWAT invaded their home.
The search warrant was issued for the family's stepson who hasn't lived at the home in three years. On the search warrant someone had scratched out one person's name and handwritten the stepson's in its stead. I mean, really, at least get a no-knock warrant with the correct person typed on the document.
The owner of the dog has filed a complaint but so far no disciplinary action has been taken against any of the officers who invaded this family's home.
The Maryland legislature is introducing a bill that would, at the very least, require monthly reports to the attorney general on no-knock warrants and SWAT activity. This is in result to the tragic death of two dogs when SWAT invaded the Berywn Heights mayor's home. The mayor was not guilty of any crime and one of his dogs had been running from police when he was shot in the back.
Just imagine, for one moment, you, your 12-yr-old kid and your spouse are sitting down to watch some television when the door is blown open and a dozen heavily armed, uniformed people storm in. Then imagine your dog doing what a dog does when threatened and being shot at three times. A bullet misses and lands in your mattress.
That's what happened to the family in the article when Howard County SWAT invaded their home.
The search warrant was issued for the family's stepson who hasn't lived at the home in three years. On the search warrant someone had scratched out one person's name and handwritten the stepson's in its stead. I mean, really, at least get a no-knock warrant with the correct person typed on the document.
The owner of the dog has filed a complaint but so far no disciplinary action has been taken against any of the officers who invaded this family's home.
The Maryland legislature is introducing a bill that would, at the very least, require monthly reports to the attorney general on no-knock warrants and SWAT activity. This is in result to the tragic death of two dogs when SWAT invaded the Berywn Heights mayor's home. The mayor was not guilty of any crime and one of his dogs had been running from police when he was shot in the back.
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