Detroit police body camera shows dog attack of K9 officer that led to shooting

DETROIT (FOX 2) - "It breaks my heart, it's very difficult to watch the video," said Theresa Sumpter.

The video is getting all kinds of attention from everywhere - a dog, in its own fenced-in yard, was shot by a Detroit police canine officer.

Sumpter with The Detroit Pit Crew, an animal rescue, was called by DPD officers at the scene, to help.

"We just ran to the scene picked the dog up an immediately rushed him to an emergency veterinary hospital," Sumpter said.

The K9 was searching for a ditched gun on the city's east side earlier this month. Officers asked the dog's owner to secure their pets, but, the pet, Chino, rushed to the fence.

Images from the K9 officer's body-worn camera showed Chino clamped on the K9's muzzle.

"Preliminarily the K9 made an effort to dislodge the dog it didn't happen," DPD Chief James Craig said. "She was concerned for the safety of her partner, who in this case was her K9 and she fired a single shot."

"We were doing our best to try and save him and thought there was hope," Sumpter said. "He started to decline and we had to make the tough decision to put him down."

The K9 suffered an injury to its snout and mouth, but will be back to work. Its handler was extremely upset and off the job for a few days. Chief Craig said he stands behind her decision to fire her weapon.

Detroit police command told FOX 2 the family's fence was too close to the sidewalk, according to city ordinance.

"That's their territory they're defending their territory, it is not based on the breed of a dog," Sumpter said. "I have a beagle. They can be fence aggressive or fence reactive."

Sumpter says better communication between the police and the dog's owner before the search for the weapon, and more control of the animals by all would have changed the outcome.

"It's heartbreaking that people would blame the animals because humans are in control in this situation," she said.

Per protocol, the case is being reviewed by the Professional Standards Department within DPD, then it will be handed over to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office for review.