Deputy Willfred Europe III has been removed from patrol duties and reassigned, The Adams County Sheriff's Office mobile crime lab was sent to the scene where a deputy shot and killed a dog last Monday night. The deputy shot the dog when they two deputies showed up at the wrong address Monday night while investigating a security alarm.
Ziggy was a 35 pound, 8-year-old blue heeler/border collie mix who Fisher says was not aggressive. He says two Adams County deputies forced their way into his business, startling his dog which ran outside. Then the dog turned to come back to Fisher. That is when Deputy Europe r opened fire. They shot him 3 times," Fisher said, fighting tears
"I'm yelling, 'you shot my dog. You shot my dog.' And the police officer says, 'you need to calm down. You can get a new dog,'" Fisher said.
Fisher described the whole situation as "surreal" and claims Ziggy was not being aggressive."That dog was my best friend," Fisher said. "They never informed me they were police officers. They shot him on a concrete slab. It's never going to be the same. I raised that guy since he was six weeks old."
"There's some pretty suspect things in Officer Europe's history," said attorney Jennifer Edwards with the Animal Law Center. The same deputy killed a man. Europe shot and killed Don Cambron 40 in a 2012 traffic stop.
Edwards represents several Adams County dog owners whose pets were killed by law enforcement.
In November, Commerce City police officer Robert Price shot and killed a dog named Chloe. Home video shows Price shooting the dog five times when she was already restrained.Price faces a felony charge of animal cruelty and his arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 22. Price is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal case against him.
And says Edwards there was another dog named Zoey, gunned down in her family's driveway by another Commerce City officer. That officer was checking on a 911 hang-up call and said three "vicious dogs" threatened her. She shot the Agazio family's dog, Zoey. Edwards sued on behalf of the family, and lost.
"I just hope there's justice for Ziggy, Chloe, Zoey. I hope that one of these departments will take the lead and change their policies, procedures, and training," Edwards said.
In regards to the investigation into Ziggy's death, Adams County Undersheriff Roger Engelsman told reporters, "This is a very, very serious investigation for us which we are conducting as quickly as possible so that we can share the results when it's complete," Engelsman said.
Fisher is devastated. "He was a good boy. He was my good boy. That's my memory," Fisher said. Condolences may be mailed to Jeff Fisher, 5470 Tennyson St. Denver, CO 80012.
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