A horrific turn of events unfolded in Texas when Waco Police officers, responding to a 911 call, arrived at the wrong address and fatally shot an innocent couple’s dog. Bodycam footage of this gross incompetence has been released by the Waco Police, which provides a harrowing view of the entire incident.
The act of puppycide occurred when the police dispatch system unwittingly autocorrected the original address reported in the 911 call—from the 3200 block of North 20th A Street to North 20th Street—sending officers to the wrong home. A tragic case of technology failing humanity at a critical moment.
Finn, the victim of this egregious error, was a black Labrador owned by the innocent residents Cassandra Page and Matt Vasquez. The officers claimed the dog “acted aggressively” and lunged at them, a statement the distraught couple adamantly disputes.
The bodycam footage presents two perspectives. The video captures how the officers, without knowing if a suspect was present or armed, approached the house and came across several dogs.
Following their standard protocol, the officers announced their arrival, and, shortly afterward, were confronted by multiple dogs. One officer claimed Finn lunged at him twice, provoking him to discharge his weapon. The footage also shows the second officer tasing one of the dogs.
In the aftermath of this tragic event, the officers interacted with a shocked Cassandra Page, explaining their monumental blunder, offering an apology, and assuring her that it was a case of mistaken location.
“We got a call that someone was breaking and entering,” the officer says. “Your door was wide open. It doesn’t look good in our situation. That’s why we’re here.”
The officer then informs Page that he shot Finn.
“The dog charged me, so I shot it,” the officer says.
“You shot my dog?” Page asks. “With a gun?”
Page then runs over to Finn, and screams when she finds him.
By the time Matt Vasquez rushed home after receiving Page’s frantic call, Finn was en route to an emergency animal clinic. Tragically, due to Finn’s age and the severity of his injuries, he couldn’t be saved.
Upon realizing their error, the Waco Police Department extended their sympathies, offering to cover Finn’s veterinary expenses, and pledged to conduct an internal investigation. They have issued an apology for the incident and promised to “work diligently” to rectify the root cause of the location discrepancy to prevent a recurrence of such heartbreaking incidents.
While these actions are appreciated, they can never compensate for the loss of Finn, a casualty of a tragic miscommunication and a grim reminder of how even minor errors can lead to devastating outcomes.
This article was originally featured at The Free Thought Project and is republished with permission.
