Champ's Story

THOSE THAT KNOW ME WELL, THIS IS ABOUT CHAMP. HE IS GONE. MURDERED COLD HEARTEDLY BY A TRAVIS COUNTY DEPUTY. I WILL NEVER GET TO SPEND TIME WITH THE HAPPIEST, KINDEST DOG I WILL EVER KNOW.

AND THOSE THAT KNEW HIM CAN ATTEST TO THAT!!!!

So the absolute worst case scenario that we all could imagine happened this morning as I let my dogs out for a few minutes only to go to the back door and discover a bottom part of a plank cracked and pushed aside and both of my pit bulls gone.

Those that don't know my pups, 2 years ago I purchased TUE King Kongs Champagne Brut from Chad at King Kong Kennels and had posted a few pictures here and there and of a litter he sired about 9 months back.

Well I kept "Duke" from the litter and now both dogs were out of the fence I had replaced Memorial Day weekend due to the poor quality of the previous fence and their desire to catch the rabbits in the alley way behind the house. One thing about them actually getting out previously is that I've met many of the neighbors and they have met my dogs and have been more than amazed and helpful once they met them. All have been in agreement that the local fence situation needs to be addressed, especially as many of us are just renting tenants. You must understand that we are not out in the country, we are in a very populated suburb of Austin, TX (I'm less than 10 minutes to the state Capitol in downtown Austin).

So as my room mate and I frantically drive in two separate cars searching for them, I hear a gunshot not more than a block away. I arrive to see my dog collapsed on the ground with Duke standing over him. I pulled up, immediately jumped out and began screaming as did the deputy and man on the front porch. I grabbed my dog and told the deputy my name and number as I was going to try and rush Champ to the ER.

He had no time. The deputy shot him right down through his shoulder and it exited straight down out of the center/side of his chest. He barely made it 2 blocks with me crying and speeding and rushing to the human ER right down the street. He was point blank and had to be standing over Champ to meet the trajectory (and we did take pictures and get x-rays at the vet for proof).

So I take Duke home, and take Champ back to the scene of the crime with me as my room mate is already there and telling me to hurry as its getting heated. Upon arriving, there were now 3 deputies, I took Champ bleeding in my arms and carried him over to talk with the deputies. They immediately freaked out, told me to take him back to the car, I needed to stop. I refused to put him in the car and told them as a citizen, I pay taxes, I have rights and it was my right to hold my dog for the last time and let the public know what the people who are there to serve and protect them can do. Very shallowly they responded and I quote, "you're going to make the public suffer?", and noted the elementary school down the street. I let them know that it isn't the public suffering but my dog who ultimately suffered and my life that will change forever.

Now to the explanation and events leading to the shooting.

According to the deputy, he didn't receive a call. He just happened to see my dogs walking along, assumed they were going home and followed them for three blocks. He made sure to note to me that they were calm, non threatening, non aggressive, and came across people with whom they were friendly and calm. On the last block there was a gate about 4 ft wide with 2 dogs (a male blue pit bull and male golden lab), who began barking, and drew the attention of my dogs. At this point Champ and the pit male begin to get aggressive and supposedly Champ had the other dogs snout in his mouth. Keep in mind both of the other dogs were restrained behind a concrete wall and iron gate with the bars not further than 4 inches apart. There is physically not a way either dog could pose a serious threat to one another if neither of their heads or muzzles could get through the gate.

He said he pepper sprayed them, which upon hearing I did not believe as I heard the gunshot drove less than a block and grasped my dog and tried to stop the gaping gunshot wound by his heart and hugged and kissed him on his face while talking to him in his last moments before leaving for the hospital. I saw no irritation. I had no irritation. There was no pepper spray on the ground, in the air, or on my other dog Duke. There was none on the other 2 dogs or the concrete either. And that was the only measure he supposedly took before fatally shooting my dog. All of this taking place in a matter of minutes but with enough time for him to radio other deputies locally.

HE DID NOT STOP AND LOOK AT THE THEIR TAGS WHILE THEY WERE CALMLY WALKING FOR 3 BLOCKS. TAGS WHICH HAD MY NAME, PHONE NUMBER, RABIES VACCINATION INFO. HE DID NOT ATTEMPT TO CONTACT ANIMAL CONTROL WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN HIS FIRST ACTION IF HE FELT UNCOMFORTABLE. HE DID NOT PEPPER SPRAY, AS EVIDENCE WOULD SHOW AS I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE OR SEE AFTER HOLDING CHAMP'S FACE TO MINE. HE DID NOT USE A BATON. AND AS A LAST RESORT BEFORE SHOOTING, HE DID NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO TASER!!! HE DREW HIS WEAPON, SHOT AND KILLED MY DOG FOR BITING AT A DOG SECURED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A FENCE.

When I questioned why it required such force, and why if he had to shoot he didn't at least try to wound or debilitate my dog, he said "it was very stressful situation and I had to try and aim for center mass", which I replied that two dogs fighting THROUGH a fence should not be a stressful situation enough for a weapon to be drawn and discharged in a private neighborhood, in a city that is really just the outer Austin area, down the street from an elementary school where no other options had been exercised. He then said that what most people don't know is that the bullets they use would probably had killed him anywhere he shot him. To which again I replied he shouldn't have shot and if he did, it would at least given me a chance to save him unlike the shot to the chest at point blank. I also questioned why a law enforcement officer, who carries a gun, is not cool head enough in a "stressful situation" to be able to shoot a non lethal shot, especially with what training he should have gone through.

His response to these things "well hindsight is 20/20". Yeah no crap, hindsight is not going to bring back the dog who everyone knows I love like a child and would never pose a threat (but I'll get to that later). He also mentioned that he didn't want to attempt to reach in, in case he possibly received a career-ending wound to his hand and was not able to function under job conditions. I didn't know that his career and lack of initiative to follow proper procedure is more important than my dog's life and the safety of the public that was in the area of this deputy discharging his weapon.

There was also a man at the scene who was standing on the porch and told me as I arrived that I needed to keep my dogs in a fence. The deputy referred to this man as the "owner" of the dogs, and said he had told him to step away from Champ when he tried to break them up as "Champ was in a rage and who knows if he would have bitten the man's hand". I did not get to talk to this man at the time as I rushed to the ER. More about this shortly.

Keep in mind, that I was crying, very emotional about the whole thing and holding my deceased dog in my arms. I continued to rant about how this was completely avoidable but did my best to keep cool for the fact a) I was in shock and; b) I know that me being aggressive wouldn't look well for my case and ours, the pit bull community.

The deputies got to the point of saying this situation was wrong and if there was anything at all they could do for me, and I could continue to yell and vent to them as long as I saw fit, they would stay and take it and understand. How much more of a guilty plea do you need? They knew they were wrong and the deputy involved bypassed all standard procedure and did the worst possible thing by discharging a weapon and killing my baby and thankfully not a person while he was doing so. Especially that close to a school.

The veterinary clinic was more than helpful with Champ as they have been his vet since 8 wks of age. They stated they will do anything needed to help. They can attest that Champ was a non-aggressive, calm demeanor dog who was friendly to people and dogs alike.

I have taken Champ all over the place with me in his 2 years with us and not once had any sign of aggression or anger. That is due to the training I have given him to be a good, kind hearted dog, and the fact that Chad breeds amazingly well demeanor, happy, docile bullys. Its all in how they are raised and Champ was raised lovingly. He loves children, all types of dogs, and even Keke the cat that occupies the same bed he did to sleep with me at night. Everyone who has found out, is outraged since they too knew Champ personally. That includes my neighbors and other friends that are Travis County Sheriff Deputies as well.

I went back to check on the other pit bull and lab, as well as the fence, and talk to the owner once I had calmed down. I have pictures and firsthand proof showing that both dogs on the other side were completely unharmed, not even a scratch. Those of us who know pit bulls know that if one of our dogs happened to get into a serious scuffle with another pit bull, there are injuries, our dogs are strong. Especially if the other dogs were threatened enough for him to shoot. The owner was not home and I proceeded to leave a note asking them to call me and see what happened, and let them know as fellow pit bull owners they know it shouldn't have ended in murder.

I received a call later in the afternoon from a man who said he was the owner and had no clue what I was referring to. I went to his house to find out that this was a different man than the "owner" the deputy referred to. This man stated that both are his dogs, no one should have been at his house during the day, and he was shocked as a pit bull owner that the sheriff's dept. had shot and killed another pit bull on his property and was completely unaware. He stated his dogs are calm and great with his child, they were both perfectly fine without a scratch, that they do bark at passers by, and occasionally a dog had come up to the gate off leash, but it didn't take more than yelling and stomping to separate/scare off the dogs. Most importantly we both agreed that neither dog was in real danger due to the gate that was between them and their size and inability to inflict serious damage in the little space. He responded "I'm so sorry, because it could have very well been my dog on the other side of the fence". He agreed that Champ should not have been shot, and said he would help with anything necessary.

SO AT THIS POINT, THE DEPUTY DID NOT FOLLOW ANY PROCEDURE, THE OTHER DOGS ARE SAFE AND FINE, THE OWNER IS DISGUSTED THIS HAPPENED ON HIS PROPERTY AND TO A PIT BULL. I AM JUST COMING OUT OF SHOCK ENOUGH TO REALLY START TAKING ACTION AND STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED A REPORT, CASE NUMBER, OR ANYTHING BACK FROM INTERNAL AFFAIRS WHO I CONTACTED IMMEDIATELY.

I am outraged and crushed to say the least. I want to reach out to the pit bull community and the community in general and ask for any help anyone can give in spreading word of this incident, sending people who can help change and punish the people responsible and let the public know that actions like this are wrong and it really could have been anyone's dog if this deputy showed such negligence. And I guarantee you if it wasn't a pit bull, my dog would still be alive. And at the very worst I should be paying a ticket to the Animal Control for picking up my dogs, not breaking down every hour because my beloved pet, son, friend, and family member is gone. And he has never shown an ounce of negativity toward anyone. He didn't even put anyone imminent danger when he was shot. Even the deputy admitted that no lives were threatened at the time. Do you want a man who can't handle a situation like this, handling a gun and "protecting" your community? I don't. I have tattoos and crazy hair. I hope I'm not the next to be profiled and shot for no apparent reason.

Please spread the word and I will keep all posted. Thank you.

Philip Redmon
phillysbullys@yahoo.com

To Champ- I will always love you and remember everyday we spent together, I hope you are peaceful and in a non-prejudiced place now. I love you Champ.