The Davenport Police Department is supporting the officer, saying his "actions were lawful."
A police officer shot and killed a dog while responding to a report of out-of-control dogs. The owner of the black lab spoke out about the incident during a heated city council meeting.
Don Hasseltine threw the podium when he was told his three minutes were up while addressing the city council in Davenport, Iowa. A crowd of supporters gathered around him.
Newly-released body camera footage shows the black retriever mix rushing towards the police officer.
The officer drew his gun and shot the dog. The dog, named Myst, ran off whimpering.
Surveillance footage from moments before showed the family pet playfully running alongside Hasseltine's son and cousin, who were on their bikes. The officer responded to a report of four dogs on the loose. Police say he asked the children to put the dog on a leash.
Footage from the family's front yard showed the dog run up to the officer and start barking. The family rushed over when the officer fired.
Myst ran away before he collapsed and died.
The Davenport Police Department is supporting the officer, saying his "actions were lawful." They sent Inside Edition screenshots from the body camera footage stating the "salivating dog aggressively confronted him, baring its teeth and [was] repeatedly snapping at him."
The heartbroken dog owner wants the police department to know his dog was more than a pet. He was a cherished family member.
