Los Angeles Police Department officers fatally shot a 2-year-old golden Saint Bernard doodle named Jameson on June 13, 2026, during a welfare check at a Canoga Park apartment. The incident, which occurred amid a New York Knicks championship celebration, has triggered an internal investigation and public outcry over police use-of-force protocols.
Bodycam Footage and Conflicting Narratives
The LAPD released edited body camera footage on Friday, June 19, showing the moments leading up to the shooting. According to ABC7, the video depicts officers responding to reports of screaming—later identified as celebration cheers for the Knicks—before confronting the dog’s owner, Marie Marseille, in her apartment hallway. The department stated that officers asked Marseille to secure the dog, a 106-pound animal, before it allegedly charged at an officer, prompting the use of lethal force.
The owner’s legal representation and family contest this characterization. Attorney Brett Greenfield, in a statement cited by NBC Los Angeles, argued that the officer had his firearm drawn before the dog even emerged from the apartment. Marseille herself, who witnessed the shooting, disputed the claim that the dog was aggressive.
“I don’t know if charged is the right word. Jameson, he is a very playful dog, very happy and energetic and excited, if he barked. He has never bitten anyone.
The sequence of events captured in the footage has become the focal point of the ongoing inquiry. The video shows the officers arriving at the complex following noise complaints related to the basketball game. Upon reaching the unit, the interaction between the officers and Marseille escalated within seconds. The LAPD’s narrative hinges on the assertion that the dog posed an immediate physical threat to the officer on the scene. Conversely, the footage is being analyzed by independent experts and legal observers to determine if the officer’s decision to draw his weapon occurred prematurely or if there were non-lethal alternatives available to de-escalate the situation before the animal entered the hallway.
Internal Investigations and Policy Review
The shooting has prompted multiple levels of scrutiny within the police department. The Los Angeles Times reports that the LAPD Internal Affairs Division has opened an investigation into the shooting, which is separate from the department’s standard use-of-force review. Law enforcement sources confirmed to NBC4 that the department has received several official citizen complaints regarding the incident.
Standard procedure for the Los Angeles Police Department in incidents involving lethal force includes a multi-tiered review process. This involves an internal review to determine if the officer followed departmental policy, as well as an assessment by the Board of Police Commissioners. The Board is an oversight body comprised of civilians appointed by the Mayor, tasked with evaluating whether the use of force was objectively reasonable and in line with constitutional standards. This process often involves the collection of forensic evidence, witness statements, and a comprehensive review of all available digital evidence, including the body-worn camera footage that has already been released to the public.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass publicly addressed the incident following the release of the footage, calling the event “disturbing and tragic.” Bass has directed the police chief and the president of the police commission to review and update the department’s training and policies concerning encounters with dogs. This directive highlights a growing tension between community expectations and current law enforcement field training, which often emphasizes the protection of officer safety in unpredictable residential encounters.
Community Impact and Fundraising
The death of the dog has resonated across the community, with activists gathering at LAPD headquarters to protest the department’s handling of the welfare check. For the Marseille family, the loss is personal; Jameson had been a part of their household since 2014, when the family moved to California. A GoFundMe campaign has been established to support the family, raising more than $188,000 as of this week.
The public response has been significant, reflecting broader concerns regarding police conduct during wellness checks. Protesters at LAPD headquarters have called for increased transparency and a shift in how officers are trained to interact with household pets during routine calls. The intensity of the public reaction—demonstrated by the high level of financial support for the Marseille family—underscores the emotional weight the incident has carried for local residents. The incident remains under active investigation. While the LAPD maintains that the officer responded to an immediate threat, the family’s legal team has raised questions regarding the necessity of the shooting, noting that Marseille was in close proximity to the officer when shots were fired. The department has blurred the face of the involved officer in the public video, a move officials attributed to the receipt of threats following the shooting.
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