Cop shoots pet in front of children

A DOG playing at the Avis Dam in Windhoek was shot twice by a Namibian Police officer on Sunday afternoon.

At the time, Hagler, a three-year-old boxer, was frolicking in the water with a stick. Steffi Presske, who is looking after Hagler while her owner is on holiday in South Africa, says she and a couple of friends met at the dam with their dogs for some relaxation, as they have done countless times in the past.They were sitting at the bottom of the dam wall while the dogs were playing in the water.Suddenly out of nowhere a uniformed, armed Police officer, Constable Daniel Emelan, appeared and a young Labrador, Shadow, came out of the water and ambled up to the man to investigate.The man was very nervous and immediately took the safety catch off his rifle, Presske told The Namibian.She said she shouted to him that the dog was harmless and he should not point his weapon.Shadow returned to the water and continued to play.The officer then tried to walk along the water’s edge when Hagler came out of the water with a stick in her mouth.The man pointed his AK-47 at the dog and fired two shots.The dog fell into the water, yelping in pain.Presske said Hagler had not threatened the Policeman in any way, as she was playing ‘fetch’ with her stick.”I was terrified, when I wanted to help Hagler I had to walk past the man who was still pointing his gun at the wounded dog,” she said.People quickly gathered at the scene and spoke to the Policeman, who just sat on the ground staring, according to Presske.The Police were called but according to them they could not arrest Emelan, because he was a member of the Namibian Police and still on duty.Emelan simply took his loaded firearm and walked away, Presske said.He is apparently one of the Police officers who patrol the Avis suburb and the dam, because Deputy Prime Minister Libertina Amathila lives nearby.Presske said Shadow was so frightened by the shots that she fled and was only found at 05h00 yesterday, totally bewildered and without a collar.According to the organisation Greenspace, Avis Dam has the most visitors on a Sunday between 17h00 and 19h00.An estimated 150 people were at the dam when Hagler was shot at 17h30.A few metres from where the dog was shot, a couple of children were playing in the water.People who witnessed the shooting wondered what an armed Policeman was doing at the Avis Dam at the busiest time of the day.They said going to the dam for a relaxing stroll with their dogs has turned into a nightmare, given that somebody can get away with firing an assault rifle in a densely populated area without having to face any consequences.The future does not look good for Hagler.Her left hind knee was shattered and the leg will have to be amputated as soon as she is strong enough to receive anaesthetic.The dog was shot from behind, according to the physical evidence.The main entry point is at the back of the leg and bullet fragments were found in her stomach and front paw.Steffi Presske, who is looking after Hagler while her owner is on holiday in South Africa, says she and a couple of friends met at the dam with their dogs for some relaxation, as they have done countless times in the past.They were sitting at the bottom of the dam wall while the dogs were playing in the water.Suddenly out of nowhere a uniformed, armed Police officer, Constable Daniel Emelan, appeared and a young Labrador, Shadow, came out of the water and ambled up to the man to investigate.The man was very nervous and immediately took the safety catch off his rifle, Presske told The Namibian.She said she shouted to him that the dog was harmless and he should not point his weapon. Shadow returned to the water and continued to play.The officer then tried to walk along the water’s edge when Hagler came out of the water with a stick in her mouth.The man pointed his AK-47 at the dog and fired two shots.The dog fell into the water, yelping in pain.Presske said Hagler had not threatened the Policeman in any way, as she was playing ‘fetch’ with her stick.”I was terrified, when I wanted to help Hagler I had to walk past the man who was still pointing his gun at the wounded dog,” she said.People quickly gathered at the scene and spoke to the Policeman, who just sat on the ground staring, according to Presske.The Police were called but according to them they could not arrest Emelan, because he was a member of the Namibian Police and still on duty.Emelan simply took his loaded firearm and walked away, Presske said.He is apparently one of the Police officers who patrol the Avis suburb and the dam, because Deputy Prime Minister Libertina Amathila lives nearby.Presske said Shadow was so frightened by the shots that she fled and was only found at 05h00 yesterday, totally bewildered and without a collar.According to the organisation Greenspace, Avis Dam has the most visitors on a Sunday between 17h00 and 19h00.An estimated 150 people were at the dam when Hagler was shot at 17h30.A few metres from where the dog was shot, a couple of children were playing in the water.People who witnessed the shooting wondered what an armed Policeman was doing at the Avis Dam at the busiest time of the day.They said going to the dam for a relaxing stroll with their dogs has turned into a nightmare, given that somebody can get away with firing an assault rifle in a densely populated area without having to face any consequences.The future does not look good for Hagler.Her left hind knee was shattered and the leg will have to be amputated as soon as she is strong enough to receive anaesthetic.The dog was shot from behind, according to the physical evidence.The main entry point is at the back of the leg and bullet fragments were found in her stomach and front paw.