Woman allows police to search her house so long as they don't kill her dog -- Police proceed to kill her dog

MPD Officer Shoots, Kills Dog During House Search
by Malachi Constant
ABC 7 News
Jun. 20, 2010

WASHINGTON - A Northwest woman is devastated after she says her pet of 13 years was shot and killed by D.C. police.

Marietta Robinson, 62, is still visibly traumatized after witnessing her 13 year old companion, Wrinkles, be shot and killed Tuesday night.

Robinson says the pitbull mix grew to be more than 100 pounds.

"I've had her since she was the size of my wrist... I still can't believe this," said Robinson.

According to the search warrant, six officers showed up at Robinson's door in the 1300 block 5th Street NW around 9 Tuesday night in search of drugs and paraphrenalia in relation to her 28-year-old grandson. Robinson says he hasn't lived in the home in years.

"My grandson couldn't even come in here 'cause he hasn't lived here so long. My dog don't know my grandson," said Robinson.

Robinson says she let them in under one condition.

"I said 'can I put my dog in the bathroom?'...The officer said 'yes' and then he opened the door and shot her," Robinson told us.

Bullet holes in the bathroom mark the spot where Wrinkles was killed.

"You can see all of the bullet holes, about eight bulletholes in this door. There is a bullet holein the dryer..all up and down the steps. There's bullets everywhere," pointed out Robinson.

According to Robinson, officers ransacked her house and then opened the bathroom door and fired shots.

After the third shot, she says Wrinkles jumped up and bit one of the officers.

Police say the dog bit the officer through her boot, puncturing the skin, and would not let go.

"The first three shots I was right here sitting on a crate," said Robinson. "They opened the door and they started shooting the dog. And I screamed. I backed up and I said 'please don't shoot her, please don't shoot her.'"

Robinson told us, "She bit him after they opened the door, which she wouldn't have bit 'em if they hadn't opened the door."

After the dog was killed, she says officers used her water cooler.

"They washed their hands in my drinking water. There is a bathroom right there. They could have washed in the sink," stated Robinson.

Authorities confirm one of the officers discharged his weapon after being attacked by the dog. The circumstances of how it happened are under investigation.

"We look through the whole incident to see if there is anything we could have done better differently policies violated all those other things so that will happen in this case like any other discharge of firearm," said Police Chief Cathy Lanier.

Robinson told us, however, "Oh it is just this or that. They always covering up dirt. Sweeping dirt under the rug. Something needs to be done about these crooked police."