Cop shoots at 'pit' and shoots teen instead

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS (CBS 11 News) ― A local teenager is recovering from a gunshot wound after a police officer shot him Friday afternoon.

The house where the shooting took place is located in the 3400 block of Willowcrest Drive in North Richland Hills, near the border of Haltom City.

Larry Irving, a spokesman for the North Richland Hills Police Department, told CBS 11 News that the Haltom City officer was attempting to arrest a juvenile suspect at the time of the incident.

Three other teens, all friends of the suspect, were lifting weights in front of the home when the officer arrived. The suspect does not live at the home.

However, a pit bull apparently lunged at the officer, who then feared for his life. Irving says the officer fired twice at the dog -- but both bullets hit one of the nearby teens, 17-year-old Kevin Valenzuela. He was standing about 15 feet behind the dog.

One shot grazed Valenzuela's right leg. The other bullet entered his left thigh.

"The cops just went to the back. They didn't tell us nothing," said witness Anthony Tijerina. "Our dog was just walking and the stupid cop just shot my friend."

The pit bull was grazed in the stomach by one of the bullets. According to police, Valenzuela was trying to protect his dog, King, when he was shot.

The victim was taken by air ambulance to JPS Hospital in Fort Worth, where he was treated for the gunshot wounds. He is now recovering back at home, with his dog. A bullet is still lodged in his thigh.

"I was scared when I got shot," Valenzuela told CBS 11 News. "I didn't know what to think."

"I was panicking, and the cop was telling me to get on the ground, get on the ground," Valenzuela continued.

The officer, a four-year veteran did apologize to Valenzuela before he was lifted away. But that is not enough for the victim's family. "They had no right to go onto my property, in the backyard, to give a warrant for a child who does not even live here," said Martha Moreno, the victim's sister.

"Oh, I'm mad. I'm very upset," said Julie Moreno, the victim's mother.

Police did eventually arrest the original juvenile suspect, who was wanted for a probation violation.

The North Richland Hills Police Department is now investigating the case, but they said that the shooting appears to be justified. "The officer has the ability to use his weapon any time he feels he's in danger or someone else is in danger," said Irving.
http://cbs11tv.com/local/haltom.city.shooting.2.742569.html

 

I friggin hope to god that cop gets screwed royaly over this.
You ever notice when a cop shoots at a dog its always "lunging at them" and then they "fear for thier lives" ?

Sorry the kid got shot but glad the dog missed a trip over the rainbow bridge.

 

issuing a warrant and serving a warrant are two different things, and in this case it sounds like the warrant was being served, hence the cop going to the kid, yeah, onto the property to serve it. a judge will sign it and it's the cop's job to "deliver" it, well, actually it's to enforce it.
that mom may be pissed cuz the cop went onto her property, and i'm not certain what the individual state rights are, but i agree shooting the dog was premature, as is typically the case with "pit bulls" and yeah it's the same old same old, "i feared for my life".
almost seems like that's the thing to say today....:rolleyes:

 

Most cops are stupid when it comes to dogs, especially pitbulls. I bet that dog was running up with a wagging tail lol! Glad everybody is alright. I had a cop come up to my car with his gun pulled and kept yelling he was gonna shoot my dog if he even moved because my license plate has something doing with the breed. Meanwhile my dog was snoring in the passenger seat. Of course nothing happened when I reported him and I got ticketed for "threatening" the officer because I told him he was an idiot.

 

Yeah but after he shot him the stupid ass cop keep telling him to get on the ground,probably still pointing the gun at the kid,warrant or not a fuck-up is a fuck-up.Let somebody fuck-up like that and see what they do you you.I also think that the cops should live in the community's that they patrol and then alot of this shit wouldn't happen the way it does...The mother feels violated her son was shot by this trigger happy cop with no aim,it's about time were this kinds of cops should be held accountable.And if you think that they won't lie,to cover their asses.....it's the same principles with these dogs,too many times they over step their boundaries.....when things like these and other things happen and you don't question them...ask yourself why you don't....

 

You're absolutely right. The cops are really crazy in that area. They are trigger happy and would love to shoot anything the first chance they get. IMO a lot of cops are just cowards with guns. :-)