The Los Angeles Police Department has released body-camera footage showing an officer fatally shooting a dog named Jameson after responding to a 911 call in Canoga Park that turned out to be a false alarm. The incident happened June 13 after a neighbor reported hearing a woman screaming, which police later learned was a reaction to the New York Knicks’ NBA championship win.
The video shows two officers arriving at the apartment and speaking with resident Marie Marseille at her doorway. Jameson, a 2-year-old golden Saint Bernard doodle, can be seen at her side barking at the officers. LAPD said officers asked Marseille to secure the dog, and the released footage appears to show one officer firing four shots after Jameson moved into the hallway barking. The department has said the dog charged at officers, while Marseille disputed that characterization and said Jameson was playful and had never bitten anyone.
The department’s release has intensified scrutiny rather than quieted it. NBC Los Angeles reported that the officer’s face was blurred in the edited body-camera footage, an unusual step that LAPD sources said was tied to threats received after the shooting. The station also reported that the video was released more quickly than is typical in officer-involved shooting cases.
Multiple investigations are now underway. NBC Los Angeles reported that the LAPD Internal Affairs Division opened an investigation separate from the department’s use-of-force review, and that several formal citizen complaints had already been filed. NBC also cited a 2023 LAPD use-of-force directive on dog encounters that says officers have alternatives available in some situations, including voice commands, spray, and fire extinguishers, while still allowing deadly force when it is considered necessary to protect an officer or another person from death or serious bodily injury.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she had spoken directly with LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell and promised a “thorough and transparent” investigation. In her statement, Bass called the death of Jameson devastating for the family and said Angelenos should receive a complete understanding of what happened and accountability for any wrongdoing.
McDonnell, in a separate public statement, called the shooting “an incredibly tragic incident” and said the loss of a pet is deeply personal because dogs are often companions and family members. He said any officer-involved shooting triggers a serious review and that a “thorough, multi-layered examination” of the Canoga Park incident was already underway. He also said officers are expected to exercise sound judgment, restraint, and respect for life whenever possible, and that training, policies, and guidance on dog encounters would be closely examined as part of the investigation.
The shooting has quickly become a larger public flashpoint over police judgment and transparency. What began as a mistaken emergency call has now turned into a high-profile review of how officers handle animals during routine calls, what alternatives were available, and whether the department’s account will match the evidence shown in the released video.
