Newly-released police body camera footage shows the moment a Wichita, Kansas police officer opened fire on a dog, causing a nine-year-old girl to be struck in the face by a bullet fragment.
On Thursday, Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett released body camera footage from a Dec. 30 domestic disturbance call.
Officers went to the family’s home when the girl’s mother reported her husband was threatening to hurt himself.
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The footage in question, taken from the body camera of now-former Wichita Police Officer Dexter Betts, shows the officer conducting a search of the home as two children stand in the living room.
“Hey!” an officer is heard greeting the children upon entering the home. “Okay, what’s going on?”
It’s unclear if the officer speaking here is Officer Betts. After conducting a search of the adjoining rooms, that same officer speaks again.
“Okay, we got a dog inside here, too,” the officer says, a reference to the family’s miniature English bull Terrier. As Betts circles the children the dog barks at him aggressively, prompting the officer to fire two shots at the animal.
A nine-year-old girl, seen sitting on the carpet next to the dog, then cries out in pain.
“Ow! Ow! Ow, you hurt my eye!” the girl shrieks at Officer Betts.
According to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office, a fragment from one of the rounds struck the girl just above her eye. Both the girl and the dog were treated and later released. Her identity has not been released.
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Betts was fired from the department on January 25, less than a month after the shooting. He now faces a charge of aggravated battery.
On Wednesday, Betts entered a plea of not guilty. Betts’ attorney said the dog was attacking Betts and he was thus justified in using force. Attorneys for the family however say the dog was only barking at Betts and did not pose a physical threat.
-With files from the Associated Press