In 2019, St. Louis, to a woman whose dog was shot during a no-knock SWAT raid over an unpaid gas bill. When Grashorn arrived moments later, he stepped out of his vehicle unannounced and pulled his gun within one second of Bubba standing up, his body-camera video shows. The Loveland Police Department now faces a civil lawsuit stemming from a 2019 incident where an officer shot a roughly 1-year-old dog who later had to be euthanized. He was beloved by his family. There is no sound from the body camera until after the shooting occurs. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. She said it is too quiet at their old home. After finally getting Herkimer to the vet, Love and Hamm said the price for helping their dog began to climb and climb. By the police. The final frames showed discarded tissues and blood staining the pavement where the dog collapsed. Why would I? the man responded, given the shooting of his pet. First published on August 26, 2021 / 8:46 AM. And the lawsuit says the district attorney ultimately dismissed the charge against Hamm in October 2019. "Herkimer could have been any of our beloved pets. In her release Schielke included two pieces of video footage, one a clipped together video showing the incident in a more concise package as well as the unedited body-worn camera footage from Grashorn. Community holds rally in support of 19-year-old shot by Loveland police officer. Thats when, out of excitement, Herkimer jumped out of the trucks back seat and ran toward the officer to greet him, the lawsuit states. Schielke said she was sending people to serve the suit to the LPD on Tuesday. Robert Pride began the BlueTeam review process despite the fact that the initial BlueTeam report from Grashorn had been sitting there, unreviewed, for 2 months.. Walmart refused and instead called LPD to deal with it. Last week, U.S. District Court Judge Raymond P. Moore refused to dismiss the civil rights claims against Officer Mathew Grashorn for the shooting. (The audio is not captured by the body camera, which retains 30 seconds of footage before it is turned on, but not sound.). Herkimer put no one in imminent danger.. Hamm was charged with having a malicious dog on account of that conversation, the lawsuit alleges. A Loveland police officer may be held liable for shooting a couple's puppy in the head within seconds of exiting his car, a federal judge has ruled. The couple said they were out June 29, 2019, to deliver firewood around town. Dispatchers allegedly asked him if it appeared that Love and Hamm were doing anything to the dumpster, to which he said no. Love said that on especially hot days when a lot of deliveries needed to be made, they look for a shady place to pull over and get the dogs some water. Privacy Policy | Subscribe to Reason Roundup, a wrap up of the last 24 hours of news, delivered fresh each morning. About five minutes into the video, another officer can be seen on scene. The dog is described in court papers as Herkimer, a 14-month-old mixed breed Staffordshire terrier and boxer mix. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, They did, and the dog complied. Herkimer, who remained alive despite being shot twice, fell to the ground. Please let me see him! The multiple officers involved did this knowing that Walmart hadnt suffered any loss. 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Sort by: Nancy Brger. Subscribe to Colorado Politics today! The Loveland police department told FOX31s Deborah Takahara: It is and has been our policy not to comment on pending litigation.. The flag pole was bare. In the video, you can see a pair of dogs get out of a truck and approach an officer, who Schielke identified as Matthew Grashorn. August 27, 2021, 11:22 am The Loveland Police Department in Colorado is facing another lawsuit after an officer shot and killed a 14-month-old puppy that jumped out of the owner's vehicle and. LOVELAND, Colo. (KDVR) The City of Loveland said Friday it will launch an independent investigation after a police officer shot and killed a dog. We have pledged to increase accountability and transparency for our community including any opportunity to seek clarity into specific events. No immunity for Loveland cop who shot puppy, An article from the Loveland-Reporter Herald, under a sweeping police accountability law. The officers in the incident were responding to a trespassing call. Geisenfeld is a town in the district of Pfaffenhofen, in Bavaria, Germany.It is situated on the river Ilm, 16 km (9.94 mi) southeast of Ingolstadt.The town grew up around Geisenfeld Abbey, a convent founded in 1037.. Subdivisions. Herkimer was taken to Colorado State University, Love said, after he was seized from his owners. When it comes to landscape Did you know Your Butcher, Frank has super tasty delicatessen salads? The video states that after four days of suffering, Herkimer was euthanized. This image taken from Loveland, Colo., Police Department body camera footage shows Officer Matthew Grashorn pointing his gun at a dog he shot after it ran toward him on June 29, 2019, after he got out of his patrol car. The suit was filed Sunday in the 8th Judicial District Court in Fort Collins. The lawsuit alleges that, following the shooting, Metzler said since Love and Hamm had mentioned sharing the story with media, we better scratch him a ticket for something., The suit claims that Grashorn told animal control and the veterinarians attempting to treat Herkimer that the dog attacked him. The Avalanche championship dynasty crumbles less than a year after hoisting the Stanley Cup. However, department officials later deemed the actions Grashorn took were appropriate. . Grashorn responds, "Yeah okay, thanks for telling me how to do my job. Fred Smith knows real estate. He shot Herkimer twice, once in the face, and a second time in his body. A swarm of uniformed officers were visible near where the dogs body had once laid. It also claims that chief Bob Ticer and other supervisory staff reviewed the body-worn camera footage and report, and declared Grashorns use of lethal force was justified. They said they hope that, with the lawsuit in 8th Judicial District Court, those involved in writing off the incident are punished. 5.1.2023 2:25 PM, Eric Boehm 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Then the officer changed his tune and suggested he would get help, but the audio recording does not suggest that help was immediately summoned. Bubba turned back in response to Plaintiffs calling him. Courtesy of. His supervisor can be heard saying they can scratch one charge, which will make them happy because they already said they are going to call the media., Once Herkimer was taken to the vet, the lawsuit states, officers told the veterinarian that he was a dangerous dog that had attacked one of our officers., Schielke, the couples lawyer, told The Post both Love and Hamm became depressed after Herkimers death. Do I know that? His owners say he was happy and playful and never aggressive. The shooting happened in 2019 in Loveland. The news comes after a couple filed a civil lawsuit against the Loveland Police Department in the June 2019 shooting, which killed their 14-month-old dog. Reach him at afleskes@prairiemountainmedia.com or on Twitter @Austinfleskes07. Grashorn believed he was entitled to qualified immunity, which shields government employees from civil liability unless they violate a person's clearly-established legal rights. The use of deadly force against a person or an animal is taken with the utmost seriousness. Grashorn's lawyers claimed he acted as "any other officer in his position would have.". Once he saw a dog running towards him, he relished in the opportunity to shoot it and did not care at all about other alternatives. Whatever any business owners whim is in Loveland, the City makes it well known that their police force will do whatever it takes, including the use of extreme force, to demonstrate the Citys commitment to protecting business interests. At around 5 p.m. June 29, 2019, Love and Hamm were working for their firewood delivery business in the Loveland area. The building had no signage. Lordstown warns it may fail as investor Foxconn gets, South Park, Star Wars license plates up for auction, BestReviews.com - Top gifts to make everyone happy this spring, Surprise your mom with one of these Mothers Day, Mothers Day inspo: This foot massager has 20,000, Drew Barrymores Walmart collection is perfect for, Best Mothers Day gifts for the budding plant mom, Best Mothers Day Gifts for moms obsessed with books, Is it legal to have a tinted license plate cover, Aerosmith says farewell with one last Denver show, Denver restaurant closes after 50 years in business, Set of quadruplets set to graduate from MSU together, Search continues for missing Lakewood man, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Be Proactive. The business owner called the police to check out what they were doing, telling dispatchers that someone had tampered with the dumpster lock on the property once and he didnt want the truck occupants to mess with it.. Franz Altendorfer. He has lived in the Aurora/Southeast Denver Metro area since 1965 and is an expert Getting ready for a yard project? "You're not gonna be able to help him," Grashorn continued to yell at the couple. His path of travel as he got closer to Grashorn was also not pointed towards Grashorn but instead was visibly slowing and veering off to the side in a C-shape, due to him beginning to point himself back to his owners who were calling him. Hamm, on the other hand, said he knew right away. "What in the world is going on in Loveland that these things keep coming out?" The claims for relief include: The suit requests that a jury trial be held and that the court reward Love and Hamm with, among other things, compensation for this class as well as punitive or exemplary damages against those named. I felt like our life totally dissolved right there, Love said. He suspected that they were poor and wanted to surprise them, to see if they were up to anything he might be able to get an arrest for, the lawsuit claims. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Five months after killing Herkimer, Defendant Officer Grashorn and Defendant Sergeant Metzler killed a human by shooting her to death, the lawsuit also indicates. We'd love to hear eyewitness / CBS Colorado, LOVELAND, Colo. (CBS4) - Disturbing video of a Loveland police officer shooting and killing a family dog is now at the center of a civil lawsuit filed in Larimer County District Court. The absurd recklessness of this policy and obvious risk it presents to the lives and health of Loveland citizens has played out over and over again quite publicly and quite embarrassingly for Loveland. This policy is unusually severe and openly dangerous. It would have been better if he had been. Grashorn parked several yards away from Love and Hamm and his body-worn camera did not immediately begin recording audio. What in the actual hell is going on at the Loveland Police Department? The lawsuit was made public by attorney Sarah Schielke Wednesday in an early morning press release. Seconds later, Officer Matthew Grashorn fired two shots at the puppy. You can be in the know right alongside Colorados political insiders. Love nonetheless cradled Herkimer while Grashorn warned Love, "He will bite you, he's hurt." Any reasonable person with any training or experience would have recognized that Herkimer was not a threat to anyones safety. Body camera footage of the June 26, 2020, incident showed the officer, Austin Hopp, stopping Garner as she was walking home and picking wildflowers. LOVELAND, Colo. (CBS4) - Disturbing video of a Loveland police officer shooting and killing a family dog is now at the center of a civil lawsuit filed in Larimer County District Court.. The suit claims, and the video shows, that Grashorn did not give any warning to Love and Hamm that he was there. Only once Sgt. While Hamm pointed out Grashorn could have tasered him, Grashorn said he wouldnt take the chance and that shooting the dog is the only thing that always works, the suit says. that is degrading to another person. Phil Metzler arrived on scene were they allowed to take him. Speak to a competent lawyer in your jurisdiction for legal advice and representation relevant to your situation. Hes hurt. Watch the video below (a more graphic version that shows the moment the officer opened fire can be seen here): The man apparently yet inaudibly complained again about the fact that the officer shot the dog. In June 2020, an officer was recorded tackling a 73-year-old woman with dementia who walked out of a Walmart without paying for $13.88 worth of items. He threw Garner, disoriented and confused, to the ground after she didn't respond to his commands to stop. Hopp says to the other officer as they watch the video of him dislocating Garner's shoulder. "We recognize the need for transparency and accountability in City processes and intend to pursue a fair and complete investigation into all the facts," said Adams. Hes right! Without warning, the officer pulled out his gun and pointed it at one of the dogs, video shows. The video later indicates that the officer was called to the scene to investigate a report of trespassing. Theres no compassion, Schielke said. I didnt know that! the officer said as the woman began to sob. A Loveland couple is filing a lawsuit against police and the city after an officer shot and killed their 14-month-old puppy, Herkimer, while investigating a trespassing complaint in 2019,. "But Grashorn didnt care. "We have pledged to increase accountability and transparency for our community including any opportunity to seek clarity into specific events. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. They also advanced a claim under a sweeping police accountability law the Colorado legislature enacted in the summer of 2020 amid international racial justice protests. Thanks for telling me how to do my job!, Do I know your dogs friendly? the officer later told the man. Months later in November, Lt. Bob Shaffer wrote into the report that he found no policy violations. In the middle of suburbia. One, later identified as Herkimer, turns and runs toward the officer. Moore did agree to dismiss the remaining defendants, the city of Loveland and Sgt. What are temperatures normally like in May? The lawsuit claims the department reviewed the shooting and ruled the officer was justified in his actions. August 27, 2021 at 6:27 a.m. EDT A couple are suing a Loveland, Colorado, police officer who they say used excessive force when he shot their 14-month-dog that jumped out of a truck and ran. In her initial release of the lawsuit, Schielke included two pieces of video footage,one a clipped together videoshowing the incident in a more concise packageas well as the unedited body-worn camera footagefrom Grashorn. The lawsuit explains the specifics on the accusation of trespassing: The commercial lot at 995 N. Wilson Ave. where Plaintiffs had parked was not fenced or enclosed to keep intruders out. It was an ambush, and Grashorn knew it. I dont know, because hes coming after me like hes going to bite me, the Loveland Police Department officer replied. Grashorn pointed his weapon at Bubba, and the dog retreated. The lawsuit, filed by Attorney Sarah Schielke, claims Herkimer was shot once in the head and once in the torso. Read full. Thats when the man said he had brought the ice machine to the lot to paint it while making firewood deliveries. Instead, he moved his gun from being pointed at Bubba to being pointed at Herkimer, tracking Herkimer as he began to turn away. The dog, a 14-month-old Staffordshire terrier-boxer mix named Herkimer, was later euthanized. The couples lawsuit says the entire altercation was the result of well-publicized city and police policies to serve business owners first and foremost: City of Loveland leadership and Lovelands Police Department leadership regularly communicate to the private business community in Loveland that the LPDs top priority is to serve them the private business owners. Shielke asked. Herkimer appears in an image embedded with a civil lawsuit. Grashorn responded that he had no way of knowing whether Herkimer was friendly, that he wasnt in the business to get bit and he had no interest in waiting to find out if the dog was friendly. The lawsuit says the citys M.O. The officer continued to try to order the couple into a truck. The couple said their entire family, including Herkimers best friend Max, has not been the same since. He will bite you! the officer repeated several times under the apparent supposition that the dog was vicious. And he was shot dead in broad daylight. He was always wanting to please you, Love said. Later, the officer said he was going to talk to the businesss owner to see if the owner wished to have the man ticketed or issued a warning. or anything. | Sir, tell her to get away, the officer told the man. Hamm can be heard asking Grashorn why he shot the dog. A family is suing a police officer in Loveland, Colorado, and the town after they say the officer needlessly shot their dog in a 2019 incident. LOVELAND, Colo. A Loveland couple is filing a lawsuit against police and the city after an officer shot and killed their 14-month-old puppy, Herkimer, while investigating a trespassing. The officer said he was called to the scene the parking lot of a concrete business building with an adjacent picnic table because the business owner thought the man and the woman were loading stuff up.. But Officer Grashorn already had his gun out for Bubba, and Officer Grashorn was eager to utilize his firearm. Metzler resigned from the police department last year. Loveland police facing civil lawsuit for officer who shot a dog in 2019 https://trib.al/CBDe15X. The officer quickly draws his firearm, and as the dog comes within feet of him he fires twice. Loveland couple files lawsuit over police shooting of 14-month-old dog who ran at officer . Grashorn . With their dogs Herkimer, black lab Max and Rhodesian ridgeback Bubba in tow, the pair stopped in a vacant parking lot next to an apparently vacant commercial building to make some repairs to a large box they were going to use for their final firewood delivery of the day. What in the actual hell is going on at the Loveland Police Department? Schielke said. It was a Saturday and there were no other people in the vicinity, so Love and Hamm let their three dogs out of their truck to stretch while Hamm made repairs to some equipment. Im getting my dog, he replied in disgust as he retrieved his other animal which was in a grassy area along a fence. CBS4 reached out to the Loveland Police Department. LOVELAND, Colo. (KDVR) A civil lawsuit has been filed against the Loveland Police Department and City of Loveland after a police officer shot a couples 14-month-old dog. He was also involved in the violent arrest of an elderly women with dementia one year after Herkimer's killing. Hamm said when they got finally got home, they couldnt get Max to leave the truck. All of the windows were covered up from the inside. He said he had to make a split-second decision as to whether or not the dog was going to bite him. To make the most of your backyard, look for durable and comfortable seating options. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Really from every second from inception of this encounter through the end, his judgment is terrible, theres no common sense, theres no care. LOVELAND, Colo. (KDVR) The City of Loveland said Friday it will launch an independent investigation after a police officer shot and killed a dog. The man and the woman had unloaded a large outdoor-style ice chest into an empty parking lot; the man said they were going to paint it there because the location was out of the way and because he thought the business property looked like it was abandoned. Loveland police facing civil lawsuit for officer who shot a dog in 2019 https://trib.al/CBDe15X. Share with Us. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. They had been driving quite a bit and it was a nice day. Grashorn: Its the same thing. I said to Wendy he just shot our dog,' he said. Bubba began to approach the officer, who drew his gun and pointed it at the dog. It had no vehicles parked in or near it. Officer Grashorn did not put his firearm away. We knew of a lot of the businesses around there, she said. Wendy Love and Jay Hamm had owned their 14-month-old Staffordshire terrier and boxer mix Herkimer for six months when a Loveland police officer shot him in June 2019. The dog survived for four days before needing to be euthanized, the lawsuit says. The police department, through its spokesman, declined to provide any additional comment on the situation. The officer said in the recording that he had been on the force for 14 years and had never shot a dog. Love continues to try and console the dog, asking Grashorn if she can take him to the vet. Hear that pop?; New video released suggests police knew 73-year-old with dementia was injured during arrest, Loveland police shot developmentally delayed 19-year-old suffering mental health crisis, attorney says, Hammocks, outdoor lounge chairs and cushions to make, Stock market today: Markets steady after latest bank, Feds: Hospitals that denied emergency abortion broke, May brings Lion King sunrise to Colorado, Plenty of attacks on the debt cap, but no signs of, American Airlines, seeking new contract, vote to, First Republic Bank seized, sold in fire sale to, How to watch King Charles royal coronation. Everything about Herkimers face and demeanor was one of curiosity and friendly excitement. The dog is a Staffordshire bull terrier/boxer mix. Grashorn then turns it on and tells the woman to go back to her vehicle. The news comes after a couple filed a. Philip Metzler, Chief Robert Ticer, and the City of Loveland, Colo. They are of limited means, very fearful of retaliation from the Loveland Police Department, especially given the fact all the higher-ups approved what happened there. Dogs on leash Hiking Forest Lake River. of the June 26, 2020, incident showed the officer, Austin Hopp, stopping Garner as she was walking home and picking wildflowers. Later he added It was just something that was so unnecessary.. His pace slowed and then Herkimers pointed his direction of travel away from the officer, peeling off to turn back to his owners. Therefore the worst crime alleged to have been committed by Ms. Love and Mr. Hamm by the business owner was third degree trespass, which is the lowest-level form of trespass, and a mere petty offense under Colorado law. The suit says the building in the 900 block of North Wilson Avenue had no signs and no vehicles were parked in or near it; all of the windows were covered from the inside, there were not any no trespassing signs and no fence was set up. | It would be 13 minutes before Love and Hamm were able to seek medical attention for their dog Herkimer. Herkimer also ran toward Grashorn, and the officer shot him in the head and in the body. accounts, the history behind an article. He was later euthanized. Loveland officials issued a statement late Friday on the shooting of a dog by a Loveland police officer in 2019. Grashorn had tried to assign blame for Herkimer's death to his owners, plaintiffs Wendy Love and Jay Hamm, for not having Herkimer on a leash. Aaron Keller holds a juris doctor degree from the University of New Hampshire School of Law and a broadcast journalism degree from Syracuse University. | Hes dying! But, after two years of dealing with the loss of their dog and the frustrations with being told Grashorn did nothing wrong, the couple hired Schielke. The document then describes what happened when the police pulled up from the couples perspectives in very harsh language against the officer. The best home improvement jobs deserve the best materials. Emailus. He died four days after being shot by a Loveland police officer. Herkimer had no history of biting or otherwise being dangerous to humans. racist or sexually-oriented language. Grashorn shoots the dog. Hes a puppy! the woman yelled. The incident was also captured on an officers body camera. The teen had. LOVELAND COP SURPRISES FAMILY, SHOOTS THEIR DOG IN BROAD DAYLIGHT Sarah Schielke - The Life & Liberty Law Office 18.3K subscribers 99K views 1 year ago Warning - This video is extremely. LOVELAND, Colo. (KDVR) A civil lawsuit has been filed against the Loveland Police Department and City of Loveland after a police officer shot a couple's 14-month-old dog. Theyre not meant to treat viruses, however. Kevin Durant moped. When Love asked Grashorn if they could take Herkimer to the vet, he replied, Maam, youre not going to be able to help him, the video shows. Devin Booker sulked. It concludes with a statement from Adams that the staff recognizes the need for transparency and accountability in city processes and intends to pursue a fair and complete investigation into all the facts. Body camera video shows Jay Hamm pointing to the ice cooler he says he was going to paint in a vacant parking lot in Loveland, Colo. Well, youre in a big hurry to get to the track nows your opportunity, the officer said. Herkimer was clearly a friendly dog and not dangerous to anybody, the couples attorney, Sarah Schielke, told The Washington Post. 2 reviews. The suit also accuses the department of sending a battalion of officers to the scene to refuse emergency veterinary care for the animal to cover up their misconduct before removing the dog from the scene.. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism WATCH LIVE: Retrial for Florida man Eric Robinson accused of brutal love triangle murder, Law&Crime Looks Ahead to 10 Remarkable Criminal Trials Scheduled for the First Half of 2023, 9 Shocking Times Defendants Testified at Trial, 10 Most Memorable Law&Crime Network Trials, Im sorry. Hes hurt, he said of the puppy. "Get back to the truck," Grashorn screamed at Love when she tearfully approached her wounded puppy. Officer Grashorn yelled at Ms. Love and Mr. Hamm to call their dog off. That day, they decided on the lot in the 900 block of North Wilson Avenue . Wednesday's announcement of the lawsuit accompanied . Body-cam video of Grashorn inside his patrol vehicle shows the officer talking to his supervisor about which charges to file against the couple. He had his gun out and was eager to shoot something.". With no consequences to the officer whatsoever. Shooting at Budweiser Event Center. This freeze frame from Loveland, Colo. police body camera video shows the split second before Mathew Grashorn shot and killed a dog named Herkimer., A Colorado family is suing a local police department after an officer exited his squad car, pulled his gun, and shot and killed the familys dog in time span of approximately 13 seconds in June 2019. Sections of this page. Two of the dogs ran towards the officer, and he yelled at the. Their other two dogs, Bubba. For the next two years, the couple grieved and decided what to do next. Its the new home of High Plains Bank in Wiggins. The police department told Denver NBC affiliate KUSA-TV that it does not comment on pending litigation. The suit claims that this level of trespassing, because of the lack of repellent measures, would be considered a petty offense under Colorado law. Herkimer was a sweet, loving, playful dog, the lawsuit says. Loveland will launch another investigation into police in response to shooting of dog 14-month old Herkimer was shot in 2019 By Reporter Herald Staff | August 28, 2021 at 6:00 a.m.. Body camera footage released along with the lawsuit shows Grashorn stepping out of his police cruiser. person will not be tolerated. On July 20, 2020, Target contacted Loveland PD to deal with a man (Keenan Stuckey) suffering from mental health issues in their parking lot, requesting that they arrest or remove him even though he was breaking no laws and bothering nobody. With no consequences to the officer whatsoever. The Kremlin is trying to kill Alexei Navalny. "No reasonable officer or reasonable person would have perceived this situation as a threat requiring the immediate destruction of an innocent citizens beloved pet," wrote lawyer Sarah Schielke.