LA leaders back investigation into police killing of two-year-old dog

As the Los Angeles police department faces mounting scrutiny after officers shot and killed a two-year-old golden Saint Bernard doodle, the city’s political leaders have backed calls for an investigation into the incident.

On Saturday, LA police officers responded to a radio call about a “screaming woman” in the Canoga Park neighborhood, about 30 miles (48km) from downtown, which turned out to be celebratory noise in reaction to the New York Knicks’s long-awaited championship win.

Upon arriving at the scene, authorities say, the person who reported the noise directed them to an apartment with a woman inside.

The woman had a large dog by her side, which was barking at the officers. She was instructed to secure the dog, at which point she closed her door, police said. When she reopened the door, police said, the dog slipped out and charged at an officer, resulting in the shooting.

In a video of the aftermath that has gone viral on social media, a woman identified as Marie Marseille by NBC News can be seen sobbing and hugging the body of her deceased dog, named Jameson. “The Knicks just won the championship. We were just so happy. We just celebrating the Knicks,” said Marseille, Jameson’s owner, in the video.

Marseille told NBC that Jameson had snuck past her legs and was shot twice within seconds. “He wasn’t doing anything. He didn’t do anything. I know he didn’t. I know he didn’t,” she told the outlet.

The Los Angeles mayor, Karen Bass, said in a Wednesday statement that she had spoken to the police chief, Jim McDonnell, to ensure an investigation.

“Every life lost to violence is a tragedy, and we know that the devastating loss of Jameson will be felt by his family forever,” she said. “I will make sure that the investigation is thorough and transparent so that Angelenos have a complete understanding of what happened to Jameson and this family.”

City councilmember Nithya Raman, who is running against Bass in November’s mayoral election, urged the LAPD to “promptly” release body-worn camera footage from the incident in a Tuesday post to X.

“I’m horrified by what happened in Canoga Park on Saturday. My heart is with Jameson’s family,” Raman wrote on X. “Whatever the investigation ultimately finds, the outcome of this incident is unacceptable, and shakes an already fragile trust in our public safety system. Los Angeles deserves a public safety response where a joyful family celebration does not end in tragedy.”

A named “Justice for Jameson” has amassed more than $170,000 in donations, surpassing the requested $10,000. “Anyone who’s met Jameson would tell you he is the sweetest boy in the world,” the fundraiser’s description read.