A Henderson family is demanding answers after a police response to two loose dogs stretched more than three hours and ended with an officer fatally shooting their 8-year-old black Labrador mix, Rocky, near Arroyo Grande Boulevard and Santiago Drive. The shooting is another fatal police shooting of a family dog in Henderson to draw public scrutiny, more than a year after officers killed a boxer mix named Bruno during a wellness check.
According to KSNV, the incident began on Oct. 2 when Henderson police received three separate calls about the dogs before the shooting. One caller reported two aggressive dogs running at large and charging him in his open garage, while a second caller reported dogs growling and barking near Arroyo Grande and Santiago, according to the incident report. A woman in the area called 311 for help before 9 p.m. that night, and Officer G. Mendez-Gonzalez arrived at the scene about 9:10 p.m.
A Cheeseburger, a Patrol Car Chase, and a Fatal Shot
Once on scene, Mendez-Gonzalez requested animal protection services, per the incident report cited by KSNV. A woman nearby managed to coax the dogs into her car using a cheeseburger, but she told investigators the dogs then jumped out of the vehicle and came directly at her. The officer used pepper spray, which caused the dogs to run away, before following them in his patrol car.
The incident report states both dogs jumped out of the car again at 9:33 p.m. Mendez-Gonzalez exited his vehicle about a minute after spotting a male on a bike nearby. Body-camera footage reviewed by investigators showed the dogs immediately chasing the officer as he backed around his patrol car and sprayed them again, according to KSNV. The officer then drew his handgun and shot Rocky, killing him. Henderson police said the officer repeatedly tried to create distance and used OC spray before firing in order to protect himself and the community, and that the dogs continued advancing despite his efforts.
Family Attorney Raises Questions About Tactics
Carl Arnold, the family’s attorney, told KSNV he is still investigating the incident report and believes parts of it do not add up. Arnold argued that the officer running after exiting his vehicle was contrary to state dog-encounter training, which he said instructs officers to use a barrier, flashlight or vehicle to fend off a dog rather than flee. He said the officer did not use those other available options…