With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Graphic Video: Cops Kill Dog While Arresting Owner Who Filmed Them

On Sunday, a YouTube video was posted showing a Hawthorne, California police officer repeatedly shooting a dog whose owner was being taken into custody. WARNING: The video is very disturbing:
The owner, Leon Rosby, was walking with his dog Max while videotaping the Hawthorne SWAT team. KCAL reports, "After an exchange with nearby officers, Rosby is heard saying the words, 'civil rights violation' before returning the dog to his vehicle." After two officers handcuffed Rosby and started taking him into custody, Max, who had been barking, jumped out of the car towards the officers, who were joined by a third cop.
All the cops pulled their guns and one tried to grab Max's leash, but Max kept barking. So one officer fired four times, killing the dog.
According to the Daily Breeze, Hawthorne Police Lt. Scott Swain claims that "Rosby stopped in the intersection with music blaring from his windows" and that cops couldn't hear what was happening. Swain said, "It's distracting the officers. It's interfering with what they are able to hear. It's not just a party call. It's an armed robbery call. The officers need to hear what's going on with the people being called out of the residence."
Swain added, "I know it's the dog's master, and more than likely not going to attack him, (but) we've got a guy handcuffed that's kind of defenseless. We have a duty to defend him, too."
Rosby's lawyer says he will sue the police department. (The NY Daily News reports, "He has six complaints against the department, including a lawsuit claiming officers broke his rib during an arrest.") Rosby pointed out, "He wasn’t just a dog, you know. He’d lick on my face, lick on my ear... That dog wouldn’t have lunged at you if you hadn’t approached him like that, I know it, I know my dog."
In another interview, Rosby says that he kept telling his dog, "No, Max!" as he approached the officers. Rosby doesn't understand why the officer kept shooting after the first bullet hit the dog, "The dog was trying to flee."
Related: Hawthorne Police Launch 2 Investigations Into Fatal Dog Shooting
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

-
Restaurants share resources in the food hall in West Adams as Los Angeles reckons with increasing restaurant closures.
-
It will be the second national day of protest against President Donald Trump.
-
The university says the compact, as the Trump administration called it, could undermine free inquiry and academic excellence.
-
Metro officials said it will be able to announce an opening date “soon.”
-
While working for the county, the DA’s office alleges that 13 employees fraudulently filed for unemployment, claiming to earn less than $600 a week.
-
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to declare immigration enforcement actions a local emergency.