A viral TikTok video shows the heartbreaking moments after a Florida woman’s dog was shot by police.
The footage, which has been viewed on the video-sharing platform more than 1 million times over various videos, was uploaded over the weekend by Pensacola, Florida resident Mikaylah Coleman.
Coleman can be heard confronting deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office as a neighbor tends to her wounded dog Xander.
In statements on the incident, Coleman claims that deputies were chasing a suspect in her neighborhood when Xander, excited by the commotion, broke free from his leash.
Moments later, a deputy came running past her house. Coleman says Xander, which appears to be a Beagle, ran toward the deputy in an attempt to play. The deputy responded by shooting the dog.
In a statement to the Daily Dot, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office alleged that Xander had “charged” at the deputy.
“Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies were in a foot pursuit with a suspect with felony warrants, when a dog who was loose in the neighborhood charged at one of our deputy’s,” the sheriff’s office said.
Coleman appears to dispute the description and claims that Xander sat down in front of the officer before being shot. The deputy, according to Coleman, also suggested shooting the dog a second time to put it out of its “misery.”
The dog was taken to the vet shortly after. In an update on the situation, Coleman says she had no choice but to put Xander to sleep.
Coleman has since launched a GoFundMe page in order to raise $3,000 for a lawyer as well as a cremation for Xander.
“I want justice for Zander,” she wrote in the fundraiser’s description. “[H]e was being friendly not aggressive at any point even after he got shot.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Coleman for comment but did not receive a reply by press time.
Update 10:05am CT, Nov. 25: In comments to the Daily Dot, Coleman said that the deputy would not apologize for shooting Xander.
Correction: 1:45pm CT, Nov. 25: An earlier version of this story claimed that Xander left the yard. Coleman states that the dog had not left the yard when shot.
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