COBB COUNTY, Ga. — The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office released body camera footage showing the moments before a deputy shot and killed a family’s service dog.
The video was shared Friday as the investigation into the death of Fifi continues. Channel 2’s Eryn Rogers reviewed two different body camera angles provided by the sheriff’s office.
Fifi’s owner, Calvin Willis, said he is still devastated by the loss of his dog.
“I saw her take the last breath, she went whoo, and I just lost it,” Willis said.
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According to the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, deputies with its Special Operations Team were at the home serving an arrest warrant when they encountered Fifi in the yard.
Assistant Chief Gina V. Hawkins said the body camera video shows the deputy did not initially have his weapon drawn when he approached the area.
“The reaction that you saw in this clip shows the deputy first walking up, nothing in his hand, he has no gun in his hand, and he sees the dog. He starts retreating, he announces surprise, he announces dog, and the dog is coming to him,” Hawkins said.
Willis told Rogers the dog was eating lunch under his carport when she heard a noise and went to investigate.
“She goes to walk this way, and I immediately get up to follow her,” Willis said.
Hawkins said deputies are trained to make decisions based on the circumstances they encounter and that the use of force can depend on many factors.
“It’s so diverse. It depends on the situation,” Hawkins said.
She said the sheriff’s office has policies addressing the use of force but does not have a separate policy specifically focused on encounters involving animals.
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“We don’t respond to the type of dog. We should be responding to the actions taking place,” Hawkins said.
Hawkins said deputies often have to make decisions within seconds.
“We wish the dog had not died. We wish everyone had been ok, but it was an absolute unfortunate incident,” she said.
The sheriff’s office said its Internal Affairs Unit will review whether the deputy’s actions followed department training.
“Was everything in accordance of how we’re trained, and if we find anything that was outside, then we take time to address it,” Hawkins said.
The release of the body camera footage comes after the sheriff’s office previously disputed whether Fifi was a service dog. Hawkins told Rogers she apologized and said that was a misunderstanding.
Willis and the service dog nonprofit, Healing4Heroes where he received Fifi, involved said they are still planning to pursue legal action.
Healing4Heroes said it has not been able to get Fifi’s body released so the family can bury her. Hawkins said she would look into the issue for the family.
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