A family in North Carolina is heartbroken after their dog, Maxi, was tragically shot and killed by a police officer on Christmas Eve.
Lisbeth Negrete, 21, and her family are struggling to cope with the sudden loss of their beloved Husky. Maxi was shot in the head by a Raleigh police officer after the dog reportedly “charged” at him.
The incident happened on Alder Grove Lane in Raleigh, where officers were going door-to-door investigating a stolen car. Raleigh Police Department Lt. Jason Borneo explained that the officer reacted when the dog, described as “aggressive,” ran toward him.
“The officer discharged his weapon, striking the dog. Unfortunately, the dog died. This is not the result we want, especially on Christmas Eve,” Borneo said.
Lisbeth said the family was having dinner when they heard gunshots. She rushed outside to find Maxi lying in the yard with a gunshot wound to the head.
“I just remember running up to him, hugging him. I cried. It was just so bad,” Lisbeth shared. She couldn’t understand why the officer didn’t try using a taser or pepper spray instead. “Why did they have to shoot him right in the head?”
According to Lisbeth, Maxi was usually left outside without a leash because he was well-trained to stay on their property. “He was being friendly,” she said. “Every dog would run up to a person to say, ‘Hey,’ especially if they’re playful. I get where the officer is coming from, but they’re trained to handle situations with people. Why not with dogs too?”
The incident was partially caught on the family’s home security camera, but the video has gaps that the family attributes to a “technical glitch.” The footage does show the police car arriving and then skips to the moment the officer and Maxi are on the ground. Gunshots can also be heard in the video.
Lt. Borneo said the police department is working with the family, and the officer involved might face disciplinary action as an internal investigation is underway.
Sadly, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened. Earlier this year, a police officer in Davenport, Iowa, fatally shot a family dog in a similar situation. That incident happened on August 21, when Officer Ethan Bock shot a black retriever-mix named Myst.
Bodycam footage from that day shows Myst barking and running toward Bock as he arrived. Within seconds, the officer pulled out his gun and shot the dog multiple times, all while the family’s young children were nearby. Their screams echoed through the yard as their mother, Brandy Hesseltine, rushed outside in shock and disbelief.
In both cases, these heart-wrenching events have raised questions about how officers respond to situations involving family pets. Families are left mourning their beloved companions while calling for better training and non-lethal options when handling animals.
