Deputies Climb Through Window Into Couple's Home Without A Warrant, Hold Them At Gunpoint & Shoot Their Two Dogs

Chris | InformationLiberation
Aug. 08, 2013

A Warrington, Florida couple was asleep in their bed when a group of Escambia County sheriff's deputies climbed into their home without a warrant, held them at gunpoint, cursed at them, threw a woman to the ground, cuffed them, then entered their bedroom and proceeded to shoot their two dogs, hurting one so badly he had to be euthanized and injuring the other with a bullet to his leg, the Pensacola News Journal reports.

Deputies justified the home invasion of Cristina Moses, 32, and her fiance, Travis Nicholas, 22, by saying they were looking for a suspect who they believed may have entered the home and they wanted "to assure the safety of the occupants.”

In fact, the occupants' safety was threatened only by the deputies, one of their dogs is now dead and their house covered in blood. Ironically, their dog is now dead because the officers were seeking to assure their own safety, not that of the occupants, because "officer safety" is always paramount.

After entering their home through their window, the couple says the deputies held them at gunpoint, Cristina was thrown to the ground while being cursed at, they were both placed in handcuffs, and the cops held them down by placing their boots on their back and arms. One deputy, who they identified as Deputy Mikel Anthony Lee, then allegedly went into their bedroom and shot two of their dogs.

The deputies' statement says, "One dog bit at one of the deputy’s leg. He pushed the dog away, but it came at him again so he shot the dog in self-defense, at which time the second dog began to run towards him. For his personal safety, he shot the second dog.”

As the Pensacola News Journal notes, their statement stops short of saying the dog actually bit the officer, meaning there is no actual evidence of the dogs' alleged aggression.

The couple contradicts their claims and says the deputy entered their bedroom and shot their dogs from the "opposite side" of the room. Video of the crime scene shows the edge of the couple's bed full of bullet holes, this is consistent with their story the officer tried to shoot the dogs from a distance and the dogs were trying to use the bed as "shelter" from the bullets.

After deputies placed Cristina in a patrol car for more than an hour because she "wouldn't shut up" and stop asking what happened to her dogs, she and Travis were eventually let go without charges.

"Gracie" the one year-old pit bull ultimately had to be euthanized due to being riddled with bullets. Cristina wells up in tears recounting the tragic incident and she says she feels "like my child has died."

The Escambia County sheriff's deputies meanwhile are stonewalling, they say they won't talk or release any further details until they're done with their "investigation" of themselves. The deputies involved were placed on paid leave.
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