Define ‘aggressive’ please

Opinion: April 19, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

EDITOR:

Regarding Monday’s report of a Youngstown police officer shooting an Akiva 13 times, what exactly made the Akiva’s behavior “aggressive”? I know that some police reports remain vague and confidential for certain reasons, but you really aren’t winning any public sentiment by saying a dog at the scene was being “aggressive” and that this warranted shooting it multiple times.

I understand that there are many dangers involved with being in the line of duty. Maybe the officer was afraid that the chaotic behavior of the dog might have escalated and caused them danger: this doesn’t change the fact that 13 times was overkill.

If Diva, the dog, was such a danger to people, the officer could have called animal control to take care of the situation. This might have avoided any public outcry for their use of force.

MELISSA MARY SMITH

Poland