Nationwide — Marie Marseille, an African American woman from Canoga Park, Los Angeles, is grieving after an LAPD officer shot and killed her dog outside her apartment during a police response. The incident, captured in a viral video, quickly spread online and drew strong reactions.
The video showing the aftermath has now been viewed more than two million times. The shooting happened Saturday night at the Jordan Condominiums on 7551 Jordan Avenue in Canoga Park, the same evening the New York Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years.
Marseille, a nurse originally from New York, was inside her apartment watching the game when the incident unfolded. Her Golden Saint Berdoodle, Jameson, wore a Knicks jersey during the celebration inside the unit.
According to Fox 11, LAPD officers arrived at the complex after a 911 call reported loud voices and a possible domestic dispute between two women. The call led officers to the apartment building as they began investigating the situation.
When officers reached the unit, Marseille said she was alone and tried to explain what was happening. She said officers asked her to secure her dog, but Jameson slipped outside during the interaction and moved toward one of the officers.
Marseille said Jameson did not act aggressively before the shooting. She said the dog simply approached the officer outside the apartment before he was shot, leaving her shocked as the situation unfolded in front of neighbors.
In a preliminary statement, LAPD said officers responded to a call about a “screaming woman” inside an apartment unit. Officers said a large dog approached them during the encounter, and they asked the resident to secure it.
The department added that the door was briefly closed and then reopened, which allowed the dog to exit. LAPD said the dog then moved toward an officer outside, leading to the shooting. The Los Angeles Department of Animal Services later took custody of the dog, which died at the scene.
Neighbors at the complex reacted strongly, with one asking, “What is the purpose of all of you? This is what we pay for?”
Marseille said through tears, “He’s my baby. It doesn’t make any sense to me. I can’t make sense of anything.”
A GoFundMe campaign set up in Jameson’s memory has raised more than $155,000 so far.