[DoctorBob]

There have been several fatal shootings in the papers and on the TV news recently (vid. the mass shooting at the beer distributors warehouse) but the one that has seemed to generate the most public anger is about the guy who went to a dog park and used his 9mm Glock loaded with hydroshock bullets in a fatal shooting.

Apparently he was off duty (federal cop of some sort) and felt his life and the life of his wife was in danger. However, there appeaer to be no credible eye witnesses (that have come forth). There is some question if he was legally allowed to carry in MD.

On a number of forum discussions, I've noted that people discuss scenarios in which they might or might not use deadly force. I doubt that this scenario has been discussed often in the past.

If you think that drawing your weapon (in self defense?), or firing your weapon, or killing something with your weapon is going to result in an open and shut case, this event suggests that you may be underestimating the public response to the use of deadly force.

copy and paste the links into your browser and then post your comments...

Interview with family of the victim:
http://meeshkaworld.blogspot.com/

Police question if carry was legal

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/20...100806-1_1_bear-bear-dog-park-police-question

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...bear-bear-shooting-20100806-1,0,5935972.story

Police report

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/features/mutts/blog/2010/08/original_bearbear_police_repor.html

Hydroshock killing bullet

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/features/mutts/blog/2010/08/the_bullet_used_to_kill_bearbe.html

Editorial asking for investigation

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-dog-shooting-20100805,0,5950094.story

Story on Facebook and thousands sign petition

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/features/mutts/blog/2010/08/members_pour_in_to_facebook_pa.html

 

[Tailhunter]

you just got to do what you feel is right and to heck with the rest of the people.

 

[dprice77]

If he was legally carrying and felt his, his wifes or even his dogs life was in danger he did the right thing. How many times have you heard about a child being killed by a "friendly" dog? If it wer me and i felt that my life or my wifes life or even my dogs life was endangered I would have done the same thing.

 

[DoctorBob]

The facts are not clear. The officer has been put on paid leave while an invstigation is now taking place to answer some of the questions. One of my points is: drawing your gun will cost you in either hassle, legal expenses, or both. One might be wise to consider what sort of realistic threshold should be applied before taking action.

 

[TedG954]

WOW! I read the "Hydrashock" article and I have never seen the anti-gun mob out in such force. The responses to the article are about 98% anti-carry, anti-self defense, and anti 2nd Amendment. I'm glad I don't live in Merry-land.

 

[jacksG19C]

As usual the media got it wrong again because even after someone pointed out to the author that hydrashocks used in handguns are intended to kill he still didn't get the fact that there's a difference between handgun ammo and ammo for rifles. Just think about how many times a day an uninformed media writer does this kind of crap. They aren't qualified to do the jobs they have.

 

[__jb]

Wow! That guy would have probably gotten in less trouble if he would have shot the owner of the dog... Sometimes people think more highly of their pets than they do of other human beings...

The newspaper writer was on a mission... he wanted to get his readers upset and cause a commotion and he certainly did that...

The interesting/disappointing thing is that the shooter was judged innocent and the case was reopened based on public sentiment... You could tell how outraged some of the people were about a gun just being in the dog park... The 2nd amendment has a tough road to hoe...

They never seemed to go into the details of how much damage the husky did to the shooter's dog... I would think that the damage done to the dog would/could/might justify the shooting.

Having said all that... It is hard to determine whether deadly force was justified in the shooting... We'll never know, unless there was a video...

 

[sfguard]

I will be honest and say that I didn't open any of the articles. For a couple of reasons I have no patience with reading that crap. I saw all I needed to see when the OP said there was question if a federal Officer could carry in Maryland. A Fed can carry anyplace as with other LE. There is a wonderful law commonly known as LEOSA (Law Enforcement Officer safety act) that makes sure of that.

Stupid people will rattle theri sabers for awhile and the whole thing will just disappear

 

[Midnightgallery]

I'm like sfguard i didn't even bother with any of the articles,becouse the media has been twisting things up since the dawn of time.I will read about it after the court rules on it not the media.

 

[DoctorBob]

Wow! That guy would have probably gotten in less trouble if he would have shot the owner of the dog... Sometimes people think more highly of their pets than they do of other human beings...

The newspaper writer was on a mission... he wanted to get his readers upset and cause a commotion and he certainly did that...

The interesting/disappointing thing is that the shooter was judged innocent and the case was reopened based on public sentiment... You could tell how outraged some of the people were about a gun just being in the dog park... The 2nd amendment has a tough road to hoe...

They never seemed to go into the details of how much damage the husky did to the shooter's dog... I would think that the damage done to the dog would/could/might justify the shooting.

Having said all that... It is hard to determine whether deadly force was justified in the shooting... We'll never know, unless there was a video...

No damage to any of the people and no damage to the other dog. Some have commented that deadly force should be a last option not the first, and that a measured response would have been a better way to approach the problem.

 

[SgtCuts]

You know I have always said there is always two sides to every story then there is the truth. With that being said I will say this in my years of being a LEO I can say this....... The officer in question from what I can find on the case had no right to even be pulling his weapon on the dog all the witnesses that came forward said they never saw any kind of aggression from Bear Bear the victim. Although only the suspect/shooter in this case the Officer knows what really happened and I wonder if he is doing one of these two things either sitting at home thinking I cant wait for this to be over I know I was justified or OH SH** IM SCREWED! Which one will be up to the judge to decide.

 

[__jb]

Yea, it's a tough call without seeing what actually happened...

The problem is that people commenting on the article aren't even considering what happened and whether deadly force was authorized... most of the commentator's are either outraged that a gun was used or in favor of using guns... They don't seem to be discussing the actual case at all.

 

[bearone2]

no witnesses, if they haven't dropped a weapon after you kill them...........

 

[DoctorBob]

Officer charged in shooting

The LEO who killed the husky has been charged with 2 misdemeanors - discharging a weapon and animal cruelty.
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/ne...Officer-charged-in-shooting-of-Bear-Bear.html

This would seem to suggest that when you use your weapon in what you may think is a self defense situation, your actions will be judged after the fact and the conclusion might not be the same. ... a sobering thought...

 

[__jb]

Officer charged in shooting

The LEO who killed the husky has been charged with 2 misdemeanors - discharging a weapon and animal cruelty.
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/ne...Officer-charged-in-shooting-of-Bear-Bear.html

This would seem to suggest that when you use your weapon in what you may think is a self defense situation, your actions will be judged after the fact and the conclusion might not be the same. ... a sobering thought...

The antis sure won that round... Public opinion has a lot of power...

I just finished reading the book "Florida Firearms", written by a gun enthusiast lawyer in Orlando. It is a good book into the insight of carrying guns and their consequenses...

He goes into the consequenzes in great depth... there were some things I would never have thought of... In Florida homeowners have the right to open carry on their property... The author mentioned defending cases where someone caried a gun on their property and a neighbor reported them... They claimed that he waived the gun and threatened them... an outright lie... guess who got arrested.