LAPD Fatally Shoots Dog After Mistaken Response to Knicks Celebration
Video footage captured the aftermath of Los Angeles police officers fatally shooting a dog wearing a New York Knicks jersey. Officers had responded to reports of a woman screaming, which was part of a celebration for the Knicks’ victory in the NBA championship.
After the Knicks secured the NBA Finals win on Saturday, an incident unfolded leading to the death of the dog. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) provided details in a news release on Tuesday. According to the LAPD, they responded to a radio call about a ‘screaming woman’ in Canoga Park, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley.
The LAPD stated that the person reporting the incident directed officers to a specific apartment unit. Upon their arrival, a resident answered the door with a ‘large dog’ beside her. The officers asked the resident to control the dog, prompting her to close the door briefly. However, when she reopened it, the dog ran out, charging at an officer, which led to an Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS).
The Los Angeles Department of Animal Services was alerted and took custody of the dog, the LAPD confirmed. The dog’s owner cooperated with the investigation.
The dog, named Jameson, wore a blue and orange t-shirt featuring the New York Knicks. Kelly Marcella Teck, the owner’s girlfriend, shared this with NBC News.
A TikTok video, watched over 15 million times, shows a woman lying on the floor over the deceased dog. She cries out, “The Knicks just won the championship. We were just so happy. We just celebrating the Knicks.” Roughly six officers stand nearby during the filming of the video.
The woman in the video, expressing disbelief, exclaims, “This is absolutely crazy. We didn’t do anything.” Others can be heard off-camera, voicing their outrage, with one person shouting, “This is pathetic when there’s drug dealers, people stabbing each other outside.”
LAPD later clarified to NBC Los Angeles that the screams were indeed part of celebrating the Knicks’ win. New York’s victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 marked their first NBA championship in 53 years.