More than $187,000 has been raised amid sympathy for the Canoga Park owner of a dog shot dead by the Los Angeles Police Department who arrived to investigate a woman’s cries of joy after the New York Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years.
Both Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell and Mayor Karen Bass have vowed that a full investigation would be conducted into the fatal shooting of the dog, a 2-year-old golden retriever-Saint Bernard and poodle mix named Jameson, by officers who responded to a report of a woman screaming.
“The loss of a pet is deeply personal,” Chief Jim McDonnell wrote in a statement in X. “For many, a dog is not simply an animal; it is a companion, a source of comfort, and a member of the family.”
The shooting occurred shortly before 9 p.m. Saturday in the 7000 block of Jordan Avenue, according to police.
Jameson, who was reportedly wearing a Knicks shirt, bolted through the condominium unit’s door and was shot by a responding officer.
A neighbor reported hearing two shots.
Video from the scene showed the dog’s owner, identified by activists as Marie Marcel, sobbing in grief and anger as she kneeled over her dying pet. She could be heard saying, “He’s such a good dog!”
A growing memorial now marks the spot where Jameson died.
On Tuesday, activists held a news conference outside LAPD headquarters to demand accountability in the case and on Wednesday McDonnell also said the shooting, which he called “an incredibly tragic incident,” would be thoroughly and transparently investigated, a process already under way.
McDonnell said the department has fielded numerous complaints following the shooting.
The chief’s statement went on to say that the investigation will take time, while acknowledging, “We at the LAPD know the community is hurting.”
“LAPD officers face unknown dangers on a daily basis, but I expect them to exercise sound judgment, restraint and respect for life whenever possible. That expectation is reflected in our training, policies and specific guidance on encounters with dogs,” McDonnell’s statement continued. “All those factors will be carefully reviewed as part of this investigation.”
The chain of events began when a neighbor heard a woman screaming inside the apartment, according to the LAPD.
The person who made the report directed officers to the apartment, and when they got to the door, “a large dog was by her side barking at the officers,” according to an LAPD statement.
“The officers asked her to secure the dog, and the resident closed her door momentarily,” according to the LAPD. “She re-opened the door, and the dog exited the apartment. Once outside of the apartment, the dog charged at one of the officers, resulting in an officer-involved shooting.”
According to a GoFundMe page that had raised over $187,000 as of Thursday morning, Marcel was screaming with joy at the Knicks’ title-clinching victory in Game 5 of the championship series against the San Antonio Spurs.
“If officers had sufficient time to draw and fire a weapon, they had sufficient time to consider less-lethal alternatives, including the use of a Taser,” Western Regional Director of the National Action Networks Jonathan Moseley said. “This incident raises broader concerns about LAPD’s continued use of deadly force in questionable circumstances. The public deserves answers and meaningful reforms.”
Police said the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services was notified and “responded to the scene and took custody of the deceased dog. The dog owner was at (the) scene and cooperated with the investigation.”
An LAPD spokesman said Tuesday that the officer involved in the shooting was taken out of the field for a few days, as is standard in such shooting cases, but he had no additional details about the officer’s status or identity.
The LAPD’s Force Investigation Division is investigating the shooting.
The GoFundMe page is at www.gofundme.com/f/justice-for-jameson-help-us-honor-his-memory.