Fort Lee Patch – by Daniel Hubbard
WYCKOFF — Dozens of New Jersey residents packed a town meeting Tuesday night in response to the s hooting death of a 5-year-old German shepherd dog shot by a policeman during a mistaken burglary call.
Police Chief Benjamin Fox said that Patrolman Kyle Ferreira should not have been on the Lawlins Road property at all. Ferreira misheard the emergency dispatcher and, instead of going to 621 Lawlins Road about 3:45 p.m. to investigate a reported burglary, he went to 622 instead.
The dog’s owners, the Vukobratovic family, spoke about the love they had for ”this community’s dog” and that they just want answers.
“Otto was more than just our dog, he was this community’s dog,” said Igor Vukobratovic. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m sad, and I was hoping someone would do something right. I have nothing against the police, but I don’t know how an officer shooting his gun and then no investigation is done.”
When no one answered a knock on the front door, police said, Ferreira went into the backyard and through an unlocked fence gate. Fox said Ferreira saw an open window he thought might be where the burglar entered the house. He drew his gun just before a “large, growling” German shepherd came through the window and attacked him, biting his right boot and not letting go.
Ferreira fired four times, hitting Otto twice. The dog was put down at Oakland Animal Hospital later that day.
Mayor Kevin Rooney spoke with state Senator Kevin O’Toole and asked him to assist in the investigation of the incident.
The Vukobratovic family and several neighbors dispute the police department’s accountof what happened that night.
Mayor Kevin Rooney announced that the township was taking extra steps to ensure an impartial investigation of the incident. He and Fox requested that a detective from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office assist with the investigation. He told the audience that he also wrote to state Senator Kevin O’Toole, asking him to contact the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the state Attorney General’s office to assist with the investigation.
Fox said in a letter to county Prosecutor John Molinelli that he and the department have been accused of covering-up ”of the facts by the officer involved.” Fox s aid in other published reports that the incident has ”left him distraught.”
People have taken to social media to blast Fox and the department for the perceived way they’ve responded to the incident.
“These pieces of human excrement killed an innocent dog and are doing everything in their power to cover it up,” Facebook user Brandon Michelson posted on the police department’s Facebook page.
The Vukobratovic family said they’ve received letters of support from people all over world. A Justice for Otto Facebook group has been founded as well.
Vukobrativoic created a GoFundMe campaign to help the family pay legal costs “required to hold the Wyckoff Police Department account for needlessly killing” Otto, a post on the page states; 181 people have donated $6,110 in four days. The goal is to raise $7,500.
A few dozen people held up signs with “Justice for Otto” and outside of Wyckoff Town Hall prior to and during the meeting.
“Police departments need to be trained on how to deal with pet encounters,” said Linda Uber-Martin while holding a sign. “It was an excessive use of force.”
The American cops have used the excuse and got away with it. Well she looked like a dog to me so I shot her. So think of the child’s life this dog saved by being a cop target and letting him get his mental kick of for a extra week before he needs kill again.
“…spoke about the love they had for ”this community’s dog” and that they just want answers.”
These deluded protesters think their situation is unique, as if pigs blowing away the family dog just for fun weren’t the latest fad in law enforcement.
You want answers, baby? I’ll give you some goddamn answers. While you had your empty head locked onto the TV screen, your country was stolen, and we’re now living in a fascist dictatorship where psychotic, steroid-addicted cops are running around the country killing everything that moves, and if bubble-heads like yourself didn’t allow themselves to be brainwashed by the TV, that wouldn’t be the case.
So go ahead, bimbo. Tune into more “reality TV”, as a way of escaping reality. Everything will be fine if you just ignore it.
thank you.. you saved me a shit load of typing
couldnt have said it better