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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Newly released body camera video shows a Minneapolis police officer shooting a homeowner's dog as the dog walked toward the officer, tail wagging, before the officer shot a second dog who was rushing toward him.
The video released Thursday was a new view of a July 8 incident in which the homeowner questioned why the officer — who was responding to a security alarm — shot her dogs. The homeowner, Jennifer LeMay, earlier posted surveillance video from her own security camera that she said showed the dogs were not a threat.
Both dogs survived but need extensive care. The actions of the officer, Michael Mays, are being investigated by the department.
LeMay's attorney, Mike Padden, obtained the body-camera video and released it. He questioned Mays' initial account that the dogs "charged" at the officer.
It shows Mays entering the backyard and a dog — Ciroc — running toward him, tail wagging. The dog stops as Mays backs away, then walks toward the officer, tail still wagging, before Mays fires. The second dog, Rocko, then runs at Mays and is shot.
Mays is heard saying, "I dispatched both of them." He also apologizes to LeMay's daughter.
"Hey, I'm gonna sit there and say sorry about this," Mays says. "I don't like shooting no dogs. I love dogs, so ... it's unfortunate. Are they A-OK?"
Chief Janee Harteau earlier promised to launch mandatory training for officers in handling dog encounters. She also said the department would help with veterinary bills for LeMay's dogs.
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