An Iowa cop shot and killed a family dog as a mother screamed and two children cried because he felt threatened by the barking animal .
The incident unfolded on the evening of August 21, when officers from the Davenport Police Department responded to an incident in the 800 block of North Pine Street in Davenport. Cops were called to a report of four dogs at large, appearing aggressive, with the caller saying the animals were attempting to get over a fence to reach their dog.
When arriving at the scene, the cop stopped his squad car outside a family's home as two young boys, riding a bike, returned to the residence with their two-year-old dog Myst. While still in his car, the cop asked the children to put the dog on a leash.
He then parked his car behind a neighboring residence in the alley and approached an adult present at the home to explain why he was speaking with the children. But as the officer stepped out of the car, the dog rushed to him, barking and lunging towards the cop despite not making contact with him or biting him.
As the dog rushed towards the officer barking and "baring its teeth", he pulled out his gun and shot the animal in front of the home. Following the shooting, the boys cried and their shocked mother screamed as Myst briefly tried to run back towards the home before dying just a few steps from the porch.
The family shared the incident on social media, as dog owner Don Hesseltine said the boys complied with the officer's demand. Still, chaos erupted when Myst began barking and running towards the officer. The outraged dog owner shared CCTV clips of the fatal encounter on X, formerly known as Twitter, and wrote: "The dog runs up to him and he decides his best option is to draw his gun and murder our dog in front of my child, his cousin, and his mother all while they are standing there and could have easily been shot as well."
The shooting caused outrage on social media with furious locals calling for the officer to be fired. But in a report shared by the Davenport Police Department following a review of the incident, the force said the officer's actions were deemed lawful as he felt threatened by the animal.
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The officer's report after the incident said: "The dog charged me at full speed, barking aggressively at me. I overheard the adult woman say 'Oh no'. I began to back up, holding my left hand out in hopes the dog would catch my scent and back away from me. The pitch of the dog's bark changed to a threatening bark.
"The dog continued barking at me, baring its teeth at me. I observed the dog to be salivating from the mouth. The dog lunged at me multiple times, snapping its teeth at me in an attempt to bite me. I dodged the dog multiple times as it lunged at me while snapping his teeth.
"This put me in fear of being seriously injured. I drew my service handgun and continued to back up. The dog lunged at me as I was backing up, trying to bite me. I discharged my firearm twice, striking the dog." Davenport Police said the officer then requested a supervisor to respond to the location - and remained on the scene for around 23 minutes while the supervisor met the family involved.
The incident was also discussed during a city council meeting during which Mayor Mike Matson gave a statement expressing condolences to the family. Hesseltine gave an emotional speech during the meeting saying he didn't feel safe with the police force.
He said: "When I think about what happened – the moment a police officer shot and killed our dog right in front of my family – I can't help but feel that this action utterly failed to meet the standards outlined in the DPD's mission statement.
"The officer shot a dog who was merely barking, not attacking; he was never bitten or even scratched. So in that moment, he went from an officer of the law to a cold-blooded killer. If the police department supports this kind of behavior, what else might they condone?"
Paying tribute to the dog, a heartbroken Hesseltine said: "Our dog, Myst, was more than just a pet. He was a cherished member of our family, bringing us joy, comfort, and loyalty. In an instant, he was taken from us by a cowardly police officer who valued his own safety over ours.
"Now, my son walks around with an imaginary version of Myst, calling out to him and talking to him. Instead of waking up to the loving licks and pawing of his best friend, he is awakened by the traumatic memories of that day."
He then angrily pushed the lectern off the table and was escorted out by police officers, reported KWQC . The city then paused the meeting.
The City of Davenport said in a statement after the incident: "The City of Davenport wants to express its condolences to the family involved in the events that led to the loss of their dog on August 21, 2024. The incident is upsetting to us, particularly because children were present.
"Right away, the Davenport Police Department assured the City it would review the incident and ensure the department’s standards were met. That review is now complete. While we acknowledge the desire for a more urgent response, taking time for due diligence was of the utmost importance.
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"The City recognizes that police officers are often in unpredictable situations, where they are entrusted with the authority to make decisions in a matter of seconds. In this case the Davenport Police officer expressed his sincere fear that he would be seriously injured, and we believe the officer's body-worn camera supports his statements.
"The City also wants to recognize a media report that the same officer was also involved in an incident on July 13, 2024. Recognizing we can't provide solace for the loss of a pet, the City and police worked together with the dog owner on a financial resolution.
"But to be clear – these incidents, while both tragic, are unrelated, and any attempt to mischaracterize them as malicious actions is inaccurate. The violent threats and harassment on social media targeting the officer and his family are wrong and terribly inappropriate.
"The City of Davenport expresses sympathy to the dog owners in both instances and remains committed to leading with transparency in all matters of public interest." The previous incident mentioned was when another dog was run over by the officer's squad car.