Missing Footage, Dead Dog, Explosive Questions

Person holding a black handgun in firing position

A welfare check over a Knicks celebration ended with an LAPD officer shooting a family dog four times on camera, and the footage raises hard questions about force, training, and accountability.

Story Snapshot

Bodycam video shows an LAPD officer shooting a 2-year-old family dog named Jameson during a welfare check after a neighbor reported a screaming woman.
The clip captures officers yelling for the owner to secure the barking dog, the door opening, and the dog moving toward an officer before four shots are fired.^[2]^[6]
The family and activists say Jameson was not aggressive and are demanding full footage, the officer’s name, and an unbiased investigation.^[1]^[3]^[4]
The case spotlights a wider pattern of police shootings of pet dogs nationwide and renewed calls for better training and limits on deadly force against animals.^[12]^[16]^[17]

From Knicks Celebration To Gunshots In Seconds

Los Angeles officers went to a Canoga Park condo around 9 p.m. after a neighbor called 911 about a woman screaming, a call later revealed to be over a New York Knicks championship celebration, not a crime.^[2]^[3]^[5] Bodycam video released by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) shows officers outside Marie Marseille’s door, loudly knocking and ordering her to come out as they treat the scene like a possible emergency.^[2]^[3] Less than a minute passes between the first knock and the fatal shots that leave her dog Jameson dying in the hallway.^[6]

In the footage, an officer can be heard yelling for Marie to “secure” or “put away” her dog while Jameson barks from inside the condo.^[2]^[3] The door opens slightly, Jameson steps past his owner wearing a Knicks shirt, and moves quickly down the short hallway toward one officer.^[2]^[6] The officer backs up and fires four times in rapid succession, dropping the dog as Marie screams and falls to the floor beside him.^[5]^[6] The department says no officers or neighbors were injured, and its Force Investigation Division is now reviewing the shooting.^[2]

Family Says Dog Was Gentle As Anger Mounts Over Footage

Jameson’s family describes him as a loving 2-year-old mix of Saint Bernard, golden retriever, and poodle who had never shown serious aggression.^[5] In interviews and posts shared millions of times, Marie and her son say he was “energetic but not violent” and that he was simply excited by the loud celebration when police arrived.^[2]^[4]^[5] Viral video from a neighbor shows Marie sobbing over Jameson’s body, footage that has fueled outrage and calls for answers across social media and local news.^[4]^[5]

Activists with the Los Angeles chapter of the National Action Network and other groups have rallied outside LAPD headquarters, demanding the officer’s name, full unedited bodycam files from every officer present, and a clear explanation of why non-lethal options were not used.^[3]^[4] They argue that voice commands, a taser, a baton, or pepper spray could have stopped a dog without killing him, especially with multiple officers in a narrow hallway.^[3] Marie has said she hopes the investigation is truly unbiased and is considering a lawsuit so no other family faces what hers did that night.^[4]^[5]

LAPD’s Justification And What The Bodycam Does — And Does Not — Show

In its public statement, the LAPD says the dog exited the apartment and “charged at one of the officers,” prompting the officer-involved shooting, and notes that officers had already told Marie to secure the dog before she reopened the door.^[1]^[2]^[5] The bodycam clip backs parts of that account: viewers hear barking, hear the officers’ warnings, and see Jameson move quickly toward an officer moments before the shots.^[2]^[6] Supporters of the officer say those seconds left little time to decide how to respond to a large, fast-moving dog at close range.

At the same time, the video release is limited. The publicly posted clip pauses right after the first gunshot, cutting off the rest of the volley and the dog’s final movements.^[3] We still do not see a full, continuous view from every angle, detailed distance measurements, or any slowed-down analysis of whether the dog was lunging to bite or simply running toward the officer.^[2]^[6] Without the firing officer’s sworn statement and full scene reconstruction, it is hard for the public to judge if lethal force was truly the only option in that moment.^[2]^[5]

Deeper Pattern: Police Shootings Of Family Dogs

This killing is not an isolated freak event. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports that thousands of family dogs are killed or hurt by law enforcement officers each year, enough that the U.S. House of Representatives has urged tracking police force incidents involving pets in federal databases.^[12] Legal and policy experts estimate that American officers shoot as many as ten thousand dogs annually, though poor reporting makes exact counts impossible.^[17] These shootings leave many owners traumatized and deeply distrustful of the justice system.^[16]

They were celebrating a championship win.

Ten minutes later, their dog was dead.

Jameson, a 2-year-old doodle, was wearing a New York Knicks jersey as his family celebrated at home after the Knicks' title victory.

According to the LAPD, officers responded to a call about… pic.twitter.com/YgaCnOqql1

— Eman (@Eman5695) June 20, 2026

Groups that study these cases say a common theme is speed: officers arrive in a tense mindset, see a dog moving, and fire before using simple steps like reading body language, closing a gate, or stepping behind a barrier.^[18]^[20] Training guides for sheriffs and police warn that most dogs display warning signs and that officers can avoid many shootings by learning basic canine behavior and carrying tools such as catch poles or shields.^[18]^[20] For conservatives who value both law and order and the sanctity of the home, Jameson’s case highlights why local control and real accountability over big city departments like LAPD still matter in the Trump era.