Doggycide in Henrico County, Virginia

One evening, one family, two shooting deaths, two species:

A bereft Henrico County family says its son died near Cool Lane, robbed of his life and $15.

"He'd taken the bus up to my place to borrow the money last night; he just wanted a video or something," said Henry Hamiel.

Hamiel's nephew, Ricky Ellerbe, 33, turned up shot to death hours later, about eight blocks from his home and just yards from the all-night convenience store on Mechanicsville Turnpike that had been his destination.

[…]

And in a horrific turn of events, a Henrico police officer shot and killed the Ellerbe family pitbull, Tiger, as it charged toward the officer off its leash.

The unidentified officer and a detective had arrived at the home to notify family members that Ellerbe had been killed. His body was discovered shortly after 6 a.m. Wednesday, face down near an alley.

The pitbull ran from the backyard of the home toward at least one officer, who pulled his weapon and shot the dog in the home's front yard, according to Ellerbe's sister, Latoya.

"They had told me my brother was dead and I'd come out back to cry on the porch and Tiger must have heard them. He ran into the front yard and the officer shot him," LaToya Ellerbe said.

It’s terrible enough that a family member was gunned down; I don’t see why the police felt the need to take away a second, apparently for the threat of “running out of the yard”. We really need to start seeing more cameras on officers to help clarify what happens during these incidents.

(via @radleybalko)

---

[full size (514×625)]

Doggycide Bingo Index

Confirmed hits:

Dead Tiger

Officer shot first

No apology offered

Total: 3/25
No bingo.

Tags: Henrico County, VA • Ricky Ellerbe • Nannie Ellerbe • Henry Hamiel • Tiger the dog • LaToya Ellerbe