Lorain police finish Investigation into fatal shooting of family’s pet dog

LORAIN, Ohio (WOIO) - An internal investigation into the fatal shooting of a family dog by a city patrolman in July is finished, finding officer Elliott Palmer within his rights to shoot the dog, calling the incident “objectively reasonable.”

“We hear the public outcry, we listen to it, but we never change our mission and our job of investigating our officers based on the outcry,” said Lorain Police Chief Jim McCann.

The 3-year-old lab mix named Dixie was shot and killed by a Lorain police officer on July 2.

Police released bodycam video of the incident on July 5.

The Office of Professional Standards (OPS) went over witness interviews, expert analysis, and the body camera footage to make a determination on the shooting.

“OPS considered the footage, witness statements, officer Palmer’s statements, expert opinion, Ohio-advised code and case law,” said Chief McCann.

McCann spent over an hour Thursday going over the investigation.

The report noted several aggressive characteristics the dog showed in the footage, which the chief went over in real-time and slow motion, breaking down frame by frame.

“He was immediately approached by a large light-colored dog, which we named dog one here, and after dog one trotted off, a second tan dog, dog two, broke free from a female,” said McCann.

McCann added the officer was bitten by another dog on duty in April and had to have surgery, coming close to losing the hand due to infection.

As for the dog’s owners, the Kern family, who called for the investigation and accused Palmer of acting recklessly, McCann says the department made attempts to reach out by official mail but did not receive a response.

They were not a part of any of the investigation.

McCann said the Palmer will remain on modified duty until he determines when he can return to regular duty.

Officer Palmer did not activate his body cam immediately when he left his car, and the chief noted he would have to decide what disciplinary action is required in the coming days.

As a result of the shooting, McCann says the department purchased bit-resistant gloves, placing them in supervisor patrol cars.

Dixie’s owners will also not be charged for not having her on a leash.

Will Kern declined to comment other than to say he believes an outside agency should have handled the investigation.