A community in Ohio has come together to demand the termination of a police officer who shot dead a Golden Retriever in front of the dog's family. The police officer said in the video that was captured on his own bodycam footage, "Get back; your dog charged me; get back."
Officer Elliot Palmer was out patrolling the area when he noticed several dogs running around, and he confronted the owner, Tammie Kern, to have it taken care of. While Tammie's daughter was trying to get the four dogs together, one of the dogs, Dixie, got away and, in a playful manner, ran towards the officer.
The video shows the officer then puts his hand out to wave the dog away while Dixie calmly runs up to Palmer. It was then raised his gun and shoots the dog. The incident is shown, as per the footage on the bodycam, to have taken place in the street outside of Kern's Oberlin Avenue.
The helpless puppy tried to get away before her front legs gave out, and she ended up falling face-first. Dixie somehow managed to get herself across the ground by dragging the backs of her legs to the curb. She ended up dead, helpless on the sidewalk.
There were a lot of words of conflict that were exchanged between Kerns and the officer. "That dog was harmless!" Kerns screamed as the poor puppy lay dying on the sidewalk.
{{/usCountry}}There were a lot of words of conflict that were exchanged between Kerns and the officer. "That dog was harmless!" Kerns screamed as the poor puppy lay dying on the sidewalk.
{{/usCountry}}The officer is shown calling for backup in the video, as people are shown coming out of their houses and expecting a valid explanation of what had happened and why the dog was shot.
Ohio residents are furious over the incident have come out in large numbers to show solidarity and support for grieving family. A petition has also started to seeking justice and immediate removal of duty of Officer Elliot Palmer for the shooting death of a family's pet dog named Dixie.
Others took to social media to call Officer Palmer a "coward' and protest that his badge be revoked immediately. A MoveOn.org petition and the hashtag #JusticeForDixie have gone into full swing in order to give the movement the support it deserves.