There are thousands of incredible police officers who do their jobs with dedication, care for others and necessary caution. Then there the three Georgia cops who entered the wrong home, shot the homeowner, killed the dog and wounded one of their own.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports the officers were responding to a vague report about a suspicious person on Monday night. Although they didn’t have a specific address, they entered a home through an unlocked screen door in the back when the residents didn’t answer the front door.
“Upon entry to the residence, the officers encountered a dog,” Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Scott Dutton said. “Two officers fired their weapons, striking and killing the animal in the kitchen.”
One of the owners, who was watching a movie elsewhere in the house, then came to the kitchen and was shot in the leg. In the confusion, one of the officers was critically wounded by a gunshot.
“Early investigation indicates that the injured officer was likely shot accidentally by one of the other officers on the scene,” GBI’s Dutton said. That officer is now in serious condition. The homeowner was treated at the hospital and released.
DeKalb Police Chief James Conroy said he understands the public’s frustration with the events, but said his officers were in a tough position.
“Without getting into the specifics of this case, that’s one of the challenges when people call 911, we often don’t know where they are,” he said. “We want officers to go out and investigate crimes like this rather than react. We want to go out and actually apprehend criminals and help people.”
The three officers are on administrative leave. The GBI’s investigation is ongoing.
