A woman is seeking answers after her 3-year-old pit bull was fatally shot by a police officer responding to an unrelated emergency call.
According to Atlanta Black Star, the incident occurred on June 21 at an apartment complex in Norfolk. Alizana Cummings said officers responded to an emergency involving an apartment on the third floor but instead went to her first-floor unit, where they fatally shot her dog, Stormi.
Cummings said she was at the community pool when the shooting occurred and learned what happened from a neighbor after returning home.
Owner Says She Was Threatened With Arrest
Cummings said she tried to comfort Stormi after returning, but claims officers warned her not to approach. “I was begging them to please let me save my baby, and they were so aggressive with me,” she said.
“They were telling me that if I just go by her and can’t calm down, that they were going to put me in handcuffs and arrest me.”
According to Cummings, she had left her apartment door open because she was only across the street at the community pool. She also owns a second dog, a seven-month-old named Cashmere.
Police Respond to Incident
The Norfolk Police Department said in a statement that a dog door had been left partially open.
“While on scene for this incident, an officer discharged their service weapon one time in the direction of an animal as it was approaching. The animal, a dog, was pronounced deceased,” the department said.
Police have not released additional details regarding the circumstances that led to the officer firing the weapon.
Cummings is now calling for accountability and says she wants justice for Stormi as the investigation into the shooting continues.