"I am usually not one to get into the politics of people’s opinions of law enforcement. I know there are good and bad people in every walk of life, but I always try to give the benefit of the doubt to those that are in a position to “protect and serve”. But yesterday, a harsh reality was “served” when I received a phone call from a very near and dear person to me. The words I heard coming through my phone were nothing I would have expected in a million years—a very distraught voice saying, “The cops just shot and killed Cisco! They killed my best friend!” In shock, I asked what had happened. At the time, I only got a very brief description, as Michael Paxton was in shock and traumatized over the horrific loss of his dog. I immediately drove to his place (which is about 30 minutes away). When I arrived, I found him clutching Cisco’s body, crying and trying to understand what had just transpired.

Apparently, unbeknown to Mike, there was a domestic disturbance between a male and a female in his neighborhood, and the Austin Police Dept was called in. Unfortunately (seems like such an understatement), Mike found out quickly about the call when he walked into his driveway from his back yard where he and Cisco, his Australian Cattle Dog (Blue Heeler), had been playing frisbee. According to Mike, a police officer was standing behind Mike’s vehicle, in his driveway. Before Mike even realized the officer was there, the officer had pulled his gun on Mike, yelling at him to freeze and put his hands up. In a panic, Mike stated to the officer that he lives there, and asked what and why this was happening.

Hearing the commotion, Cisco came from the back yard and into the driveway, barking at the officer, as any dog would do. Mike’s hands in the air, a gun pointed at him, he was afraid for his life, and therefore could not move or attempt to quiet or restrain Cisco. He told the officer that Cisco would not bite him, to please not shoot his dog. Almost immediately, a bullet was put into Cisco’s chest, killing him instantly. Mike still leaned against his truck, unable to move, was not allowed to even hold his best friend as he took the last breath of his abruptly-shortened life.

As was realized after this horrific event had transpired, THE COP WAS AT THE WRONG ADDRESS!!! An innocent man was traumatized by not only having a gun pulled on him by someone that is supposed to be there “to protect and to serve”, but his best friend of seven-and-a-half years was wrongly shot and killed. FOR WHAT?! Because the officer did not confirm where he was supposed to be before these events transpired!
Nothing will likely happen to the officer for any of this, as his supervisor arrived after everything took place, and she defended his actions. Mike was given the officers’ information, as well as a phone number to call, if desired. No apologies, no sympathy. Nothing. The officer even told Mike that Cisco should have been on a leash! IN HIS OWN YARD?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!

We ended up taking Cisco’s body to be buried at a friend’s house, out in the country. Four of us spent two hours digging and breaking through limestone-filled ground, to make a hole large enough to lay to rest this man’s best friend and companion.
There are so many things wrong with this situation, that I just can’t even express it in words. My heart aches for you Mike. I know how much you love Cisco, and how much Cisco loved you. Although I am not sure what justice can or will be served in this case, your story will not go unheard. Along with many of your friends, in an effort to gain some sort of justice for you and Cisco, I am tagging all of our local news media here to get the word out.

This type of excessive force has GOT to be stopped. There needs to be consequences for behaviors such as this. There needs to be a system of “checks and balances” used, to be certain this type of thing doesn’t happen anymore—none of this would have occurred, had the officer just VERIFIED THE CORRECT ADDRESS before pulling a gun on Mike and his dog. I urge anyone and everyone that reads this, to please share this story, and let it be known that these happenings aren’t just things we read about going on in some “other city”, but right here, seriously affecting people we know and love.

If you want further information, please feel free to contact Mike directly. He is looking for any help he can get in seeking justice for his dog’s unwarranted killing."

Taken from their facebook page which can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/JusticeForCisco

Wow that is terrible. Unfortunately cops can get away w murder, literally. As long as they have their dept behind them.

Was wondering the ABCnews.com says there is dash cam footage of the dog attacking. Has he seen that footage? No where in any other article says it. I would be asking about it.

So so sad

You would think they would have released such footage to stop all the negative calls and hate mail.

Unbelievable.

Wow, that is so deplorable. I know what it's like to loose your best friend, but not like that...Wow..I can't believe it. I hope he finds justice.

Awful.
The cop would probably have to shoot me next.

Similar case here in Portland, OR.
Domestic abuse call, but it was the right house.
Middle school daughter opened door.
Dog came running out and the cop shot the dog.
Big settlement for girl who witnessed the death of her dog.

I don't think money could ever make up for the loss of my dog.

jalepeno wrote:

Awful.
The cop would probably have to shoot me next.

I'd take a bullet for either of my dogs. Any day. This story just broke my heart, and I'm getting a lump in my throat just thinking about it again. There's no excuse for that officer's unwillingness to check the address. I completely get that domestic cases can get really nasty, but it's their duty to pay attention to the details. Inexcusable.

I just watch the dash cam just now. The cop was so in the wrong it was like 6 seconds from the time he told the guy to put up his hand and when the cop shot the dog. Then the cop blames the guy it is so mess up. I would so be in jail if a cop shot my dog for no reason. i would most definitely attacked the cop.
Thats not talk either I have a short fuse for stupid people no matter who they are.

here is the dash cam

http://www.weareaustin.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_1269.shtml?fb_ref=.T4ywC190zx8.like&fb_source=home_oneline

Did you see that he was already drawing his gun when he walked up the driveway? He hadn't even seen anything and the gun was drawn. Is that standard practice for a domestic call?

Ya he gets out says "hands up!" dog bark, shot in the chest. Was over a time frame of 6 seconds maybe. There was an article where they said the dog charged him and chased him while he yelled at him to grab the dog then finally was forced to use deadly force because he was getting attacked. Gotta love a lying police dept to defend a stupid trigger happy police officer.

I would be traumatized forever seeing my innocent dog murdered in front of me. I would probably end up dead attacking the officer. So wrong, if u kill a police dog u face serious charges but if and officer does it it's "oh sorry, our bad." In this case actually there wasn't even an apology, just blaming the owner.

It's sad because this is happening a LOT lately.

This kind of thing is very common sadly.

How common is it really? Just because you hear all the bad stories and not the good ones? Dont judge police officers as a whole because one got scared of a dog and shot it. And yes, it is standard practice to respond to a call and draw your.gun when you get there. I am not condoning his actions, but as a future wife of a police officer, and having good friends in law enforcement, dont judge everyone. That is no better than racism.

Both my brothers are cops. He is wrong and an idiot. My opinion.

News interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olVJpJVIcp0

Dont know who is judging all police officers, but they can, do and will get away w murder. Wether it's actual murder or any other crime. Of corse there are more law abiding officers who actually obey their oath to protect snd serve but sadly there are many who dont and their stories should be heard, its not right. And responding to a domestic disturbance call it is not normal to draw your weapon on someone. Let alone soemone standing un armed in broad daylight by himself... I have been a part of and witness's multiple domestic calls and an officer will not draw their weapon and if they did its because it's reported to be armed and dangerous situation which this clearly wasn't since he has been an officer of 2 years and responded to the call alone. I had to call the cops for a disturbance call in my home and 2 officers calmly came to the door and knocked and asked what was wrong... So pulling a gun immideately is not normal by any means. It's like pulling a gun out on a routine traffic stop... Not normal. And one of my friends moms was killed by a drunk lieutenant driving a boat and hit her boat and killed her and long story short they falsified facts and witness statements so the guy is innocent and they actually said his moms boatsl ights were off in the evening which made it not visable, which was a lie and so they charged her best friend driving w murder and the lieutenant is still happily employed and they have been in courts for years over it, so sadly it does happen. I mean you can just shoot something cause u feel slightly threatended. Even if the officer is clearly in the right a huge investigation has to be done to prove it was a proper use of lethal force... It's a very very last resort granted this is a dog and not a human, so they don't care. It is ok for an officer to shoot a dog if he thinks is aggressive but there isn't any proof just cause he was barking automatically means he's agressive? Most dogs will bark and run at a yelling intruder that's normal... Talk about uncalled for, would hate to see this officer faced w a real threat. Shoot first ask questions later, sadly I highly doubt if anything will even be done about this, he might get an apology, that's about it.

Okay.. I'm so gonna get flamed for this, BUT... my thoughts:

-Was it necessary for the cop to exit the car with his weapon pulled. Probably not. BUT we don't know the details of the domestic disturbance call. Maybe they told him to be armed.
-Was he in the wrong? Yes... clearly the police force is in the wrong here. An innocent dog was shot and that's not okay.

HOWEVER--
-The newscast said that DISPATCH sent him to the wrong address. There was NO need for the COP to check the address. He responded to the call according to what DISPATCH told him. If he called to check, they probably would have told him the same wrong address.
-Listen to the OWNER'S testimony on that tape. "He wasn't attacking the cop. He was running at him and barking loudly. He ran at him barking, up to his feet." Now... imagine not being a dog person. Maybe the cop has owned cats. Maybe he has a dog, but he just heard a story of a cop getting mutilated by a dog. If *I* had seen a dog running up to me, barking, and he managed to make it all the way to my feet... I'm not so sure *I* would assume that the dog was just a friendly dog barking at a stranger.

There are two sides to every story. Should an investigation happen? Should the cops be held responsible or at least make a public apology? ABSOLUTELY. I agree with you all 100% there. Because an innocent dog was killed.

HOWEVER- I HATE these one-sided issues. I hate how people take a story and blow it up for the world to see and the ignorant and stupid people that sit there and go "That cop should be shot. The police force is full of morons. Yaddi yaddi yadda." This is a TERRIBLE and unfortunate situation, but just because dog owners sympathize with the man who lost his pet, it doesn't mean we have to be irrationally angry. Honestly? If the police showed up at MY door... I would NEVER let Koda OR Hailey NEAR THEM. Why? Because not everyone understands dogs and Koda and Hailey are big an intimidating looking.

There were accidents and faults on BOTH sides of the story.

I do hope that this man gets a public apology. I hope the police DO reach out to him and make things right. But I refuse to sit here and blindly blame one side.

I unfortunately agree that they do have the right to shoot dogs they think are agressive I just don't think it's right and I don't think it should be done just because a dog comes running and barking. And if u need to use any force, use a tazer... I mean the cop was huge, a 50lb dog isn't going to maul him unless he lays there. Personally I would never kill someone's pet even of it was aggressive, not saying I wouldn't use a tazer or pepper spray.

Hindsight is ALWAYS 20/20. But imagine thinking you WERE at the right house. Imagine the supposedly aggressive and wife-beating a**hole comes to the door. He walks out, and his dog runs at you barking loudly and you're scared. Maybe he didn't have a tazer. Maybe he was told to show up with his weapon drawn and when the dog ran at him, he got scared.

Was the cop right? No. But I can't entirely blame HIM for the situation either. He made a mistake, but so did dispatch, and I'm sorry... so did this owner.

That's all I'm saying.

Yup unfortunately you never know what can happen, he didn't shut the gate and I'm sure in his wildest dreams he didn't expect a cop to pull up and put a gun in his face... That's why dogs should always be secure and another reason u would never see my dog off her leash, even with "perfect recall" there is a million things beyond our control and a dogs control that can happen.

Well listening to the dash cam you can hear what was going on. I will have to go back and find the video but the they did release the 911 call that was made. The caller told the 911 operator the guy look to have a knife. Also when the cop got to the address he notice they were apartments so he ask the dispatch if it was A B or C the dispatcher did not know. Also the person that called 911 did give the wrong address.
Dog owner unaware of what is going on walks out to his truck cop automatically tells to freeze put your hands up dog comes out barking. Before the cop even finishes saying get your dog he shoots the dog in mid sentence. it all happen in like 4 to 6 seconds.
The cop was in the wrong he was probably not even trained to know what to do with a dog. He had only been a cop for 2 years.
Then also he tried to blame the guy for him shooting the dog. The guy was like I didn't even know your here till you pointed a gun at me. Also in one of the articles the dog owner said the cop told he should have had the dog on a leash. He was like he was in my backyard why would I need a leash.

oh and then there is this dash cam which the cop the is lying he is talking to another cop on the cam it starts at around 8:50
http://digitaltexan.net/2012/austin-local-news/facebook-campaign-justice-cisco-puts-pressure-austin-police-dog-shooting/article31830/#.T419YdmxF-N

SO if it standard which I do not believe (experience) to pull a gun to a call like that then when he walked down to the other address why didn't he pull his gun.
I have had some bad relationships in my time and if and when I called the police they have never had their guns pulled. They just knocked on the door or sometimes I might be standing the porch.

Yes it happening to often. I will have to find the story but several months ago cops shot a dog right in front of a 13 yr old boy. The dog ran out the door is was some sort of herding dog I forgot what it was. But the cop shot the dog 6 times. The dog lived but then died a month or so later.
It's such a shame that cops have to be so stupid when it comes to dogs. Like I said if a cop shoots my dog for no reason I would either be dead or in jail but that cop is going down.
http://www.examiner.com/pet-rescue-in-national/pembroke-pines-police-shoot-family-dog-front-of-teenager

I listened to the tape. IT SUCKS. Don't get me wrong. But I always try to look at things from BOTH angles.

Again... the guy didn't know anyone was there, but what if the cattle dog saw a squirrel and ran out? He walked to his truck and left his gate open... there are things that went wrong on BOTH sides. Is it's the owner's fault? No. Is it the cop's fault? Yes. But is the cop an asshole who deserves to rot in hell forever? NO. 911 caller told him the wrong address and everyone is flaming HIM for not verifying the address. If he had verified, they would have told him the same address.

Should cops have training on how to handle dogs? YES.

As the cop said in the video, "How would I know if your dog was attacking me or not?" Does that give him the right to shoot him? Well... that's a debatable topic, HOWEVER... when things happen that fast, mistakes are made.

Again- I think the police department has a responsibility to train their officers and make sure that force is only being used when needed. But there's a reason that yards are fenced in and there are gates. Some would call what the owner did careless because of a PLETHORA of things (not just because he should have been prepared for a cop to pull a gun on him).

I feel for the owner. And the situation brings me to tears... but I feel for that cop too. He got scared and made a stupid mistake. BUT that cop shouldn't have been scared. And cops shouldn't hide behind their guns when they are confronted with such things.

It's an awful situation. But people should focus on fixing the problem. Instead they are yelling at the cop for not verifying the address. I hope I've pointed out how useless that claim is.

Ya I haven't said that cause I read he was given the wrong address so verifying would have been useless.