Iowa Officer Shoots Family’s Barking Dog on Front Lawn as Mother Screams and Children Cry

A heartbreaking incident in Davenport, Iowa, unfolded on the evening of August 21 when a police officer shot and killed a family dog, Myst, while two children and their mother looked on in horror. The officer claimed he felt threatened by the barking dog, but the shooting has sparked widespread outrage.

The incident occurred after Davenport Police responded to a report of four aggressive dogs in the area. When officers arrived, they encountered two young boys returning home with their two-year-old dog, Myst. The officer, while still in his squad car, asked the children to leash the dog. Moments later, he parked near the family’s home and approached an adult to explain his actions. However, as he exited the vehicle, Myst rushed toward him, barking, according to local CBS affiliate KGAN.

According to the officer’s report, the dog was barking aggressively and “baring its teeth” as it charged toward him. Fearing for his safety, the officer drew his gun and shot Myst in front of the family. Despite not making contact with the officer, Myst succumbed to the gunshot wounds just steps from the family’s porch.

Don Hesseltine, the dog’s owner, shared CCTV footage of the incident on social media, writing, “The dog runs up to him and he decides his best option is to draw his gun and murder our dog in front of my child, his cousin, and his mother.” Hesseltine also emphasized that his children had complied with the officer’s demand to leash the dog, expressing his anger and heartbreak over the situation.

The Davenport Police Department later issued a statement defending the officer’s actions, explaining that the officer felt threatened by the dog’s behavior. “The dog charged me at full speed, barking aggressively at me,” the officer’s report read, further detailing how the dog lunged at him multiple times. After the incident, the officer remained on the scene for approximately 23 minutes as a supervisor arrived to speak with the family.

The shooting has sparked a wave of outrage, with locals calling for the officer’s dismissal. The matter was also raised during a city council meeting, where Davenport Mayor Mike Matson expressed his condolences to the family. Hesseltine delivered an emotional speech, stating, “The officer shot a dog who was merely barking, not attacking; he was never bitten or even scratched. In that moment, he went from an officer of the law to a cold-blooded killer.”

The City of Davenport released a statement expressing sympathy for the family and confirming that a review of the incident was conducted. While they acknowledged the public’s frustration, they defended the officer’s decision based on the threat he perceived. The city also addressed concerns about a previous incident involving the same officer, where another dog was run over by his squad car, stating that both incidents were unrelated but equally tragic.