Florida City Police Officer Shoots, Kills Dog, 3 Feet From Homeowner

A Florida City Police officer is on administrative (paid) leave and a family is grieving, desperate for answers, after their 2-year old dog, Duchess was shot and killed outside her home yesterday morning.

Gillian Palacios was getting herself and her kids ready to head to school. Between loading the car and preparing to leave, she left the door of her vehicle, parked in the driveway, open.

An un-named Florida City officer saw the opened door and decided to check on the home. He went to the door, knocked, and when Palacios opened it, 40-pound Duchess bolted outside.

In a split-second, and only 3-feet away from the homeowner, her daughter, and with a young boy watching from a nearby window, the officer drew his gun and shot the dog three times in the head.

Palacios told 10 News the officer told her, “Your dog charged me,” and then left, telling her that Animal Services would be by to pick up the dog.

“She was curious. She wasn’t barking (and) she wasn’t growling,” Palacios said. “There was no reason for him to think she was aggressive in any way.”

Further, Palacios says Duchess barked when the officer knocked on the door, so the officer knew a dog was inside the home.

Palacios, still only half-clothed, along with her daughter ran outside and cradled Duchess while she lay on the sidewalk dying, her tail wagging the entire time.

The officer is on a paid administrative leave while an investigation into the shooting is underway.

The Palacios family are avid dog lovers, advocates, and even foster homeless dogs for a local rescue organization.