Police Officer Has Qualified Immunity After Fatally Shooting Dog

A police officer who fatally shot a dog while responding to a mistaken report of a domestic disturbance can’t be sued by her owners, the Eighth Circuit affirmed Thursday.

A neighbor of Brandee Buschmann and William Morrison called the Kansas City, Mo., police department to report noises which led him to believe that a domestic disturbance was occurring at their home. Officers John Beck and Jeffrey Lagud arrived to investigate, and Beck shot and killed the residents’ dog, a 14-year-old rescue named Sierra, shortly after Lagud knocked on the door. Upon investigating, the officers determined the neighbor’s reported noises had ...