Two police officers in
Baltimore have been suspended after authorities say they slit the throat of a
Shar-Pei that had broken free from her owner's backyard and that had reportedly
bitten a stranger. The dog, Nala, was seven years old.
The dog belonged to Sarah
Gossard, who told police that Nala had slipped through a gate in her backyard,
after which it was discovered by a woman who tried to get the dog home. The dog
then reportedly bit the woman, resulting in a superficial wound. The woman then
called police.
According to the charging
documents in the case, Officer Thomas Schmidt and Officer Jeffrey Bolger
responded to the call.
As Bolger got out of the police
truck, a witness overheard him say, "I'm going to [expletive] gut this
thing," the police report said.
Schmidt and Bolger struggled to
get the dog under control, and Palmere said they had the dog restrained,
tethered to the dog-control pole. Witnesses told police Schmidt held the dog on
the ground while they saw Bolger slit its throat.
Police said that the knife used
wasn't issued by the department. Officer Schmidt was placed on paid
administrative leave while Officer Bolger, who is allegedly responsible for
killing the dog, was released on "his own recognizance Thursday morning
after being charged the night before with aggravated animal cruelty, animal
cruelty and malfeasance in office." He has been suspended without pay.
Police spokesman Lieutenant
Eric Kowalczyk revealed that the investigation is still ongoing.
"Internal affairs is
continuing the investigation into the specifics of the incident," police
spokesman Lt. Eric Kowalczyk said. Other officers who were at the scene are
being questioned about their involvement, police have said, and internal
investigators are trying to determine why police commanders only learned of the
dog's death Monday, two days after it occurred.
