A bunch of roommates in Maryland are suing their county after police officers allegedly burst into their home with out trigger, detained them, after which shot their canine.
The roommates are suing Prince George’s County and are searching for at the very least $16m in damages, in accordance with CBS News.
On 2 June, 2021, officers in Prince George’s County responded to a report {that a} canine had bitten somebody on the condo complicated the place the plaintiffs lived.
Body digital camera footage reveals the law enforcement officials arriving on the plaintiffs’ condo complicated and knocked on the plaintiffs’ door. No one answered, so the police obtained a grasp key from a upkeep employee on the property and returned to the condo.
The officers entered the condo with their weapons drawn. Two of the home mates had been of their rooms when the police burst into the unit. One individual will be heard yelling that the police don’t have any proper to be of their dwelling area. The police stated they didn’t want a warrant to enter as that they had “possible trigger.”
The canine dwelling on the condo reportedly adopted an officer out of one of many bedrooms and approached its proprietor, Erica Umana. The police allegedly panicked, in accordance with the lawsuit, after which they fired their weapons on the canine.
Ms Umana informed the Washington Post in 2021 that she pleaded with them to assist her wounded and dying pet, however she claims they confirmed no concern.
“I used to be simply begging them, begging them,” she stated. “They simply had no regret.”
Four Maryland roomates are suing police in Prince George’s County, Maryland, after they allegedly shot and killed their canine
(The Washington Post)
The police then handcuffed the roommates and placed them into their cruisers for roughly an hour earlier than releasing them from custody.
The roommates initially sought felony fees in opposition to the police, however the Maryland state legal professional’s workplace selected to not prosecute the case, claiming the officers “did not generate felony legal responsibility as a result of they had been appearing in good religion,” in accordance with the Washington Post.
Prince George’s County officers allegedly supplied to pay for Ms Umana’s vet payments if she would keep quiet concerning the incident, however she refused, in accordance with the lawsuit.
Three of the officers concerned had been placed on administrative go away after the capturing, and a division investigator accused two of them of “conduct unbecoming an officer” for coming into a home with no warrant. A 3rd officer was cleared of any wrongdoing.
The Independent has reached out to the Prince George’s County Police Department for remark.
The plaintiffs’ lawsuit accuses the police of participating in extreme power, false arrest, and violation of their constitutional rights in opposition to unreasonable searches and seizures.
