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SALT LAKE CITY — Officers serving a no-knock search warrant Tuesday night shot and killed two pit bulls. A woman inside the home says police acted aggressively and shot the dogs without provocation.
Investigators said the "aggressive" dogs attacked officers of the Salt Lake police narcotics unit as they executed the warrant at a home in the 100 East block of Edith Avenue (1200 South).
A woman identified as Rena, who is the sister of one of the home's occupants, says the police used excessive force to the point of animal cruelty.
Rena says the officers barged in the house and shot the dogs without any provocation -- not even a bark.
"They came in so quietly and started shooting immediately," said Mary Ommundson, who lives in the home and was there at the time.
Ommundson says officers did not identify themselves when they barged in and shot her two dogs multiple times -- as her 6-year-old daughter watched. Another small child was also in the home.
At least eight rounds were fired, and Rena claims the officers began bragging about killing the pit bulls.
Police tell a different story.
Sgt. Shawn Josephson with the Salt Lake City Police Department said, "The dogs were attacking the officers and they fired to protect themselves and other officers that were executing the search warrant."
Police say they found heroin and drug paraphernalia inside the home on Ommundson's son. Three people were booked for investigation of drug possession as well as child endangerment because of the children that were present.
Rena admits there was paraphernalia in the home -- supposedly two papers used to wrap drugs -- but disputes that any actual drugs were present.
Josephson told KSL all things are considered when executing a no-knock warrant. He says Ommundson should file a complaint with the police department about her claims.
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Story written by Sloan Schrage and Paul Koepp.
