Danville police officer who killed dog is fired

DANVILLE -- The Danville police officer who fatally shot Killer, a miniature dachshund, has been fired, according to Danville Police Chief Philip Broadfoot.

Officer Murrill McLean's dismissal was announced yesterday by the chief, who said McLean's account of the June 8 shooting incident was accepted without a full investigation.

"This entire matter has been an embarrassment to the Danville Police Department, the City of Danville and to me personally," Broadfoot said.

McLean's firing is an abrupt reversal of the stance the department took on the shooting. During two news conferences in June, Broadfoot defended his officer's actions and said he acted within the department's policy.

Broadfoot apologized for the dog's death in June, saying the shooting was upsetting to the department and the community, but he supported his officer's decision-making process until yesterday.

On June 8, McLean went to the 100 block of Berman Drive to serve warrants at about 8:50 p.m. The 11-year-old miniature dachshund owned by neighbors approached the officer from behind and lunged at McLean, who fired one shot that hit and killed the dog.

The police chief said he looked into the matter more thoroughly after hearing about bloodstain evidence that was not included in the police investigation. He ordered an internal-affairs investigation after re-interviewing McLean June 24 and visiting the scene.

"My observations immediately raised questions in my mind about how the shooting actually occurred," Broadfoot said.

The investigation determined that McLean's reports of the shooting were "misleading and factually inaccurate," according to the news release.

"A proper investigation would have shown that where Officer McLean was standing during the attack would have provided him the time, distance and means necessary to consider other options before using his firearm," Broadfoot said.

Internal affairs also found that several supervisors violated department policy during the initial investigation.

"As a result of the investigation, Officer McLean has been terminated from employment and disciplinary proceedings have been initiated with the supervisors for violating department policy," Broadfoot said.

The owner of the dog, Tawaiin Harper, said he hates seeing someone lose their job but supports the department's decision.

"I think they acted on the situation to try to calm the neighborhood down and the community," he said yesterday. "I'm a little more satisfied with the investigation they did this time."

Harper said he hasn't talked to a lawyer and is waiting to see what else happens before he does. The family isn't planning to get another dog.

"A person being fired still has chances in life to pursue another job or another career," he said. "When you take the breath out of somebody, there's no more chances."

Matt Tomsic is a staff writer for the Danville Register & Bee.