Marty
11-03-2005, 01:59 PM
Fairfield, CA -- Sammie the pit bull knew when she did something wrong. The dog knew she misbehaved Tuesday night when she attacked two dogs being walked by an off-duty Solano County Sheriff's deputy, Sammie's owner said Wednesday.
But witnesses and Sammie's owners say the way Sammie died was not right.
Minutes after neighbors separated the struggling animals, Sammie ran 25 feet away and cowered near Fox Hound and Fox Pointe roads, said owner Jamie O'Reilly. Then the deputy approached Sammie, walked away and returned. He then shot the dog in the head five or six times, O'Reilly and witnesses said.
Vacaville police are investigating to see if wrongdoing was committed in the canine's death, said Vacaville Police Lt. Randy Weaver. Officers will choose whether to hand the case to Solano County District Attorney office - which may decide to press charges. Some of the possible charges are having a dangerous animal unsecured and intentional cruelty to an animal, Weaver said.
O'Reilly said it was her fault Sammie escaped and started a fight. She said she will pay the deputy's medical and vet bills. The Vacaville resident said she would understand if the deputy shot Sammie during the brawl or if Sammie was pursuing him. But O'Reilly is troubled that the deputy allegedly killed Sammie three to five minutes after the fight was over, when the pit bull was 25 feet away, cowering with people around. The deputy also voiced his disapproval of pit bulls, witnesses said.
“I think that was a true hate crime,” O'Reilly said. “I think this man lost it . . . what if the bullet ricocheted?”
Sheriff's deputy Michael Vaughn said Sammie had her jaws around the neck of one of his dogs at one point.
“I thought (Sammie) was going to kill my dog,” Vaughn said.
Vaughn said the pit bull bit him four times during the scuffle and he had to choke Sammie off his dog. The deputy declined to comment further. Because the shooting is a confidential personnel matter, the Sheriff's office won't comment, said Deputy Daryl Snedeker.
Daniel Davis saw the fight and shooting while he visited Keri Tauriac and her family, who live at the corner of Fox Hound and Fox Pointe roads.
Around 8 p.m. O'Reilly's side garage door was left open and Sammie walked out. O'Reilly and her family were inside their home but didn't notice Sammie missing. Davis said Sammie “visited” him and was friendly. The deputy and a woman walking two dogs came around the corner and Sammie attacked them, Davis said.
Davis tired to kick Sammie off. A woman who lives across the street sprayed the dogs with a garden hose and a scared Sammie released the other dog, Davis said. Sammie ran under a truck parked across the street. Davis called Sammie out and she obeyed.
While holding Sammie's collar Davis saw Vaughn approach them.
“I saw him walk toward me with a gun,” Davis said.
When Tauriac saw the weapon she ordered her daughter to go inside the house. Davis backed away from Sammie. Vaughn approached Sammie, walked away then turned back, Davis said. Vaughn stood over the dog and fired six times into the animal's head, Davis said. Davis said he was 10 feet away from the shooting.
O'Reilly and her husband ran out the house when they heard the gun shots. It was then they learned what happened to Sammie.
Sammie was not aggressive toward people, O'Reilly said. Police have never visited O'Reilly's home for complaints about Sammie. The brown and white dog was a gentle, loyal animal who was friendly with the family's two cats . Sammie slept with O'Reilly's 12-year-old daughter and didn't bark at visitors at the door.
The pit bull was a mostly indoor dog who escaped once in October when the side garage door was left open. A neighbor picked up Sammie and took her to the SPCA, which evaluated the dog's temperament. The SPCA said Sammie was suitable to live with the neighbor's small child, O'Reilly said. The O'Reilly's later found Sammie in their neighbor's backyard.
Until O'Reilly met Sammie, she feared pit bulls. Her son convinced the family to adopt Sammie because her original owners couldn't keep her. Eventually Sammie won her over. Now the family feels Sammie's absence.
“I miss her greeting me at the door,” said daughter Brianna Tsutsui, 12. “She was jumping and running around my feet and I (shooed) her away because I was stressed out from school. But now I miss it.”
Reach Audrey 427-6951 or awong@dailyrepublic.net
http://www.dailyrepublic.com/articles/2005/11/03/local_news/news02.txt
But witnesses and Sammie's owners say the way Sammie died was not right.
Minutes after neighbors separated the struggling animals, Sammie ran 25 feet away and cowered near Fox Hound and Fox Pointe roads, said owner Jamie O'Reilly. Then the deputy approached Sammie, walked away and returned. He then shot the dog in the head five or six times, O'Reilly and witnesses said.
Vacaville police are investigating to see if wrongdoing was committed in the canine's death, said Vacaville Police Lt. Randy Weaver. Officers will choose whether to hand the case to Solano County District Attorney office - which may decide to press charges. Some of the possible charges are having a dangerous animal unsecured and intentional cruelty to an animal, Weaver said.
O'Reilly said it was her fault Sammie escaped and started a fight. She said she will pay the deputy's medical and vet bills. The Vacaville resident said she would understand if the deputy shot Sammie during the brawl or if Sammie was pursuing him. But O'Reilly is troubled that the deputy allegedly killed Sammie three to five minutes after the fight was over, when the pit bull was 25 feet away, cowering with people around. The deputy also voiced his disapproval of pit bulls, witnesses said.
“I think that was a true hate crime,” O'Reilly said. “I think this man lost it . . . what if the bullet ricocheted?”
Sheriff's deputy Michael Vaughn said Sammie had her jaws around the neck of one of his dogs at one point.
“I thought (Sammie) was going to kill my dog,” Vaughn said.
Vaughn said the pit bull bit him four times during the scuffle and he had to choke Sammie off his dog. The deputy declined to comment further. Because the shooting is a confidential personnel matter, the Sheriff's office won't comment, said Deputy Daryl Snedeker.
Daniel Davis saw the fight and shooting while he visited Keri Tauriac and her family, who live at the corner of Fox Hound and Fox Pointe roads.
Around 8 p.m. O'Reilly's side garage door was left open and Sammie walked out. O'Reilly and her family were inside their home but didn't notice Sammie missing. Davis said Sammie “visited” him and was friendly. The deputy and a woman walking two dogs came around the corner and Sammie attacked them, Davis said.
Davis tired to kick Sammie off. A woman who lives across the street sprayed the dogs with a garden hose and a scared Sammie released the other dog, Davis said. Sammie ran under a truck parked across the street. Davis called Sammie out and she obeyed.
While holding Sammie's collar Davis saw Vaughn approach them.
“I saw him walk toward me with a gun,” Davis said.
When Tauriac saw the weapon she ordered her daughter to go inside the house. Davis backed away from Sammie. Vaughn approached Sammie, walked away then turned back, Davis said. Vaughn stood over the dog and fired six times into the animal's head, Davis said. Davis said he was 10 feet away from the shooting.
O'Reilly and her husband ran out the house when they heard the gun shots. It was then they learned what happened to Sammie.
Sammie was not aggressive toward people, O'Reilly said. Police have never visited O'Reilly's home for complaints about Sammie. The brown and white dog was a gentle, loyal animal who was friendly with the family's two cats . Sammie slept with O'Reilly's 12-year-old daughter and didn't bark at visitors at the door.
The pit bull was a mostly indoor dog who escaped once in October when the side garage door was left open. A neighbor picked up Sammie and took her to the SPCA, which evaluated the dog's temperament. The SPCA said Sammie was suitable to live with the neighbor's small child, O'Reilly said. The O'Reilly's later found Sammie in their neighbor's backyard.
Until O'Reilly met Sammie, she feared pit bulls. Her son convinced the family to adopt Sammie because her original owners couldn't keep her. Eventually Sammie won her over. Now the family feels Sammie's absence.
“I miss her greeting me at the door,” said daughter Brianna Tsutsui, 12. “She was jumping and running around my feet and I (shooed) her away because I was stressed out from school. But now I miss it.”
Reach Audrey 427-6951 or awong@dailyrepublic.net
http://www.dailyrepublic.com/articles/2005/11/03/local_news/news02.txt