A man who was arrested for obstructing a police raid got more than he bargained for when his beloved dog ended up being shot to death. INSIDE EDITION reports.
It was a police raid outside Los Angeles and bystanders were videotaping the action on their cellphones. But they were about to capture more than they bargained for.
A man with a dog started yelling at the cops and he was about to get busted for obstruction. What happened next is truly shocking—his dog lunged at the officers. And then it happened, the dog was shot dead.
It happened on a residential street south of Los Angeles. Police and a SWAT team were in a tense stand-off with an armed suspects in a house.
Leon Rosby was driving by with his Rottweiler, Max, when he stopped to videotape the raid. Rosby acknowledges words were exchanged between he and the cops.
INSIDE EDITION's Jim Moret spoke with Rosby at the scene of the incident.
"Were you yelling anything at the officers?" asked Moret.
"Oh no. After they said something to me I just commented back and said I want to make sure nobody's civil rights are being violated," answer Rosby.
Rosby has a history with the police, including a harassment lawsuit. He claims cops targeted him in retaliation. The police say Rosby was in fact interfering with their operation.
Lt. Scott Swain told reporters, "He could have been an onlooker like anybody else was. But what he decided to do was roll those windows down, play that music and create the distraction and the disturbance for the police officers handling the situation. So, it's our assertion that he inserted himself into the situation."
Moret asked, "Do you think that you did anything to insight the escalation of this situation?"
"No sir," replied Rosby.
As the cops approached, Rosby could be seen on video calmly putting Max in his car. The windows were open. Rosby put his hands behind his back as he was placed in handcuffs. Max was clearly upset at seeing his master this way. He started barking loudly and then leapt out the window. One cop drew his weapon.
Rosby told Moret, "I said, 'Please don't shoot my dog. Please don't shoot him. Let me control him. Let me do something. And I said 'Max, no!' "
The officer tried to grab Max by the leash but the dog lunged.
Max was shot four times and died. The trail of Max's blood can be seen in the street.
"I wish I would have it a little differently. It's just amazing to me how much love I had for that dog and now he's gone. I can't do anything about it," said Rosby.
The dog's owner plans on filing a lawsuit over the incident. Meantime, a police department spokesperson says the officer's actions were justified.
