Body cam footage shows moments before Wabash police fatally shoots dog

A dog was shot and killed in Wabash on Wednesday afternoon, after police responded to a call of a dog loose in someone’s front yard.

Officers were called to the 100 block of Ross Avenue. Police say the dog barked and charged at the officer, then lunged and jumped towards his torso. The officer drew his gun and fired 5 shots.

The body camera footage was reviewed by the Wabash County Prosecutor’s Office - they determined the incident was an appropriate use of force by the officer involved.

The community is shaken up by this event, and neighbors say they are terrified that something like this happened right outside their front door.

One neighbor, Kristi Reynolds, says, “I heard a bunch of boom boom boom! And I come out and there were 3 cop cars sitting down here, and I noticed a dog laying in the yard. I ran down there and looked, and oh I wanted to cry.”

Some neighbors like Reynolds disagree with the actions of the officer. Reynolds says, “That just wasn’t right - Wabash police shooting that dog. All they needed to do was taze that dog and that dog would still be alive.”

The Wabash Police Department offered their condolences, saying, “This was a tragic event for all involved.”