Cop Shoots 9-Year-Old Instead of Dog Update – According to dramatic police bodycam video. A cop in Kansas opened fire on a barking dog immediately in front of a 9-year-old girl, blasting bullet fragments into her face.
On Dec. 30, former Wichita police officer Dexter Betts fired two rounds at the girl’s family’s dog, an English bull terrier named Chevy. According to Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett. The Wichita Eagle reported that police were called to the residence after the girl’s mother said her husband had a gun to his mouth.
The firing was captured in almost 6 minutes of video supplied to the newspaper. Which showed Betts and another officer talking to youngsters in the family’s living room.
“Hey, everything’s fine, what’s up?” Betts inquires while children sob inside the softly lit house.
The officer then conducts a short sweep of the residence, illuminating a shadowy hallway with a flashlight. He then returns to the living room, understanding that the house is also home to an animal.
“OK, we’ve got a dog in here as well,” Betts explained. “Whoa, whoa!” exclaims the narrator.
The dog barks at the police as the girl sits on the floor just behind the animal, possibly scared by Betts’ enthusiasm and the officer’s illumination. According to the Wichita Eagle, which published 54 seconds of the footage after Bennett released it, Betts fired twice, striking the girl above the eye with bullet fragments ricocheting off the concrete floor beneath the carpet. During a court hearing last week, portions of the tape were displayed.
In the video, the girl yells, “Ow, ow, ow, you hurt my eye!” “Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow
Cop Shoots 9-Year-Old Instead of Dog Update, Betts can be heard instructing the other kids in the room to leave.
Wichita city officials had previously refused to give the Wichita Eagle a copy of the footage, claiming that it was not necessary by law and would violate the girl’s privacy. Even if it hasn’t been previously publicized, the evidence presented in court becomes a public record.
After pleading not guilty to a felony aggravated violence allegation during his preliminary hearing last week, Betts was ordered held for trial. He was sacked from the department less than a month after the event. Which left both the child and her dog unharmed.
Betts later told police radio that the dog had “attacked” him before the shooting. During a hearing last week, his attorney, Jess Home, said that the former cop was replaced lawfully by “acknowledging the danger” in the room and responding appropriately.
Bennett replied that, since he was so near to her when he pulled the pistol in the darkened living room, Betts acted recklessly and without regard for her life.
IS THE SHOOTING THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE POLICE?
According to Themacforums reports, the officer’s immediate instinct was to fire at the household pet, which is still a mystery. The situation is similar to a tragic police shooting in Iowa, in which a cop shot and killed a lady while aiming at her dog.
The Law Offices of Michael S. Lamonsoff, with over 20 years of experience in cases of police misconduct, notably police shootings, is uniquely suited to defend the victims of such situations. Call us right away at (212) 962-1020 if you or a loved one has been harmed in a police shooting or as a result of police wrongdoing.
Cop Shoots 9-Year-Old Instead of Dog Update, our personal injury lawyers will provide you with a free initial consultation to help you consider your choices for moving ahead after such a traumatic experience.
