Chewy, a 4-year-old pit bull, charged at officers outside a Rose Street SW home to protect his owner, said Jessica Howard, who lived with the dog but was not home when the shooting happened. No one ordered the dog to attack, she said.
"He did what any dog would do down to a chihuahua," Howard said of Chewy. "And all this over snowballs. It went way too far. It's just unnecessary for all of this."
Two Grand Rapids Police officers shot and killed Chewy as he charged them in the driveway of Howard's home at 106 Rose Street SW. The shooting happened about 10:40 p.m.
It all started earlier Tuesday night with Howard's son, 14-year-old Alonzo Carr, and his 16-year-old brother, Keontay Wilson, throwing snowballs at cars on nearby Buchanan Avenue. Police were called. They caught Alonzo, but Keontay ran to Howard's home on Rose Street.
When police chased Keontay to the house, Howard's boyfriend, James Lawrence answered the door and told the officers to wait outside, said 17-year-old Maxwell Hurlburt, who was home at the time and is Howard's son. Maxwell said an officer blocked the door with his foot, came inside the house and "tackled" Lawrence.
The commotion spooked Chewy, who was locked in his cage with a speaker blocking the door.
Maxwell said Chewy knew how to break out of the front of the cage so they used a speaker to contain him. Chewy broke out of the back of the cage and charged the officer, biting him and sending him to the floor, Maxwell said.
Chewy is protective of his owners, including Lawrence, Maxwell said.
"The only time he got violent was when he could smell fear," Maxwell said of Chewy. "He don't like you hurting anybody."
With Chewy out, Maxwell gathered his girlfriend and their 8-month-old son and sent them upstairs. He then called Howard, his mother, who was at work. Howard heard everything that happened next over the phone.
Lawrence went after Chewy to pull him away from the officer, Maxwell said. Chewy struggled with Lawrence, biting him several times. Lawrence's brother, Jason Lawrence, came to help and grabbed Chewy.
When James Lawrence and the officer went outside, Jason Lawrence let go of Chewy, Maxwell said. The pit bull ran for the door, which was not shut all the way, nosed it open and burst outside the house.
Outside, Chewy first went to James Lawrence and then turned toward the officers, who had their guns drawn, Maxwell said. Chewy charged at the officers. The officers opened fire. Howard was still on the phone. She heard her James Lawrence scream no. Then she heard shots.
"I was on the phone when my dog was shot. I could hear it over the phone. I was screaming," Howard said.
Officers fired 13 shots at Chewy as he charged them, Sgt. Scott Rifenberg said Tuesday night at the scene. Howard and her family said Chewy was shot 11 times. The two stray bullets hit their house. Lt. Mark Ostapowicz said Wednesday investigators do not yet know how many times the dog was shot. The case remains under investigation.
Police arrested three people Tuesday night. James Lawrence, who is Howard's boyfriend of seven years, remains at the Kent County Jail, Howard said. The 32-year-old will likely be arraigned Thursday and charged with obstructing police and assault. Alonzo, Howard's 14-year-old son, spent Tuesday night at the Kent County Juvenile Detention Center and was released Wednesday. Keontay also went to the juvenile detention center and remains there.
Chewy's death both saddened and angered Howard and her family. The dog would sleep with Howard, under the covers with his head on a pillow. He played with Howard's 8-month-old granddaughter and would give hugs and kisses. Chewy was loyal to his owners. Howard teared up while talking about him.
She believed police murdered her dog because of a snowball fight her son started. Police had no right to come into her home in the first place, she said. She questioned why they were aggressive with her boyfriend. Howard has filed a complaint with the police department and is considering other action against the department.
"I will get justice for my dog because he was murdered," she said.
Howard believed her boyfriend was falsely arrested and hoped his name would be cleared. James Lawrence and his brother were bit trying to keep Chewy from the officers, she said.
The family realized Chewy left the officers little choice when he charged them. They wished, however, that they would have used a Taser or shot him in the leg.
"They shot to kill when all the had to do was shoot him in the leg and he'd be with us today," Howard said.
Alonzo felt terrible about the snowballs he and his brother threw Tuesday night. It was a bad decision, he said.
"I got my dog shot. I put my mom's boyfriend in jail. I got my brother put in jail," he said.
(The Grand Rapids Press - February 27, 2013)
