The fatal police shooting of a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois named Max has sparked widespread outrage in Santa Ana, with the dog’s owner, Luce Vega, and community advocates demanding transparency, accountability, and policy reform from the Santa Ana Police Department.
According to Vega, officers shot Max four times and struck him with a baton after the dog exited the family’s property during a police response to a domestic dispute at her home on Orange Avenue on July 30. Vega said Max had never shown signs of aggression and believes officers overreacted out of fear.
“Max was very playful,” Vega said. “He loved kids — he would always be around them. He was hyper, happy, jumpy, and curious. He was never known to bite anyone or to be aggressive with anybody.”…