XL Bully shot dead by police after dog went on a rampage around quiet street

A new video has shown the moment a police marksman shot an XL Bully three times with a pump shotgun.

The bodycam footage captures the officer – known as A35 – taking aim and firing three rounds at the dog, called Ghost, in Sheffield.

He then used a pistol to end its suffering, near the junction with Dunella Road.

Ghost – who was three years old and weighed nine stone – was shot as it ran towards a police officer although it had not injured a member of the public.

Sheffield Magistrates’ court yesterday heard that the officers were acting on orders that the dog had attacked people before shooting.

District Judge Tim Spruce found owner Sophie Zaherali, of Wisewood, in Sheffield, guilty after a three-hour trial of being the owner of a dog that was dangerously out of control.

Mrs Zaherali, 30, also pleaded guilty to malicious communications against the police officer who had shot her dog dead, for a series of messages placed on social media following the incident.

The dog’s owner has since criticized the police, calling the officers ‘murders’ who killed Ghost in ‘cold blood’ after a second officer, who was also questioned, said the dog wasn’t acting dangerously.

She said: ‘Ghost was innocent and they murdered him in cold blood. – they had no reason to shoot him.

‘He wasn’t acting dangerously, even one of the officers said so.

‘I’m still heartbroken about him, but this is a small victory in getting justice for my Ghost.’

The court heard how police had received a number of 999 calls after Ghost escaped from her family home and onto Dyke Hall Road, with no muzzle and no lead.

Police received calls reporting injuries.

Justin Bullas, prosecuting, told had got an exemption certificate for Ghost, as a banned breed, but had not forwarded evidence to the Secretary of State that he had been neutered, meaning it had lapsed.

He said that on December 7 last year, Ghost had got out of the house while Sophie was dealing with a medical emergency involving her child.

She had run into the house to help the youngster, who was having a seizure, and the door had not closed properly.

Describing her statement to police, he said: ‘She was unaware that Ghost was out until a neighbour shouted after gun shots.’

She had described Ghost as being like her baby, and how people would pose for pictures with him because he was so big.

Two people made 999 calls to the police, and an armed response unit was sent to the scene.

When officers arrived, Ghost was close to two people.

A witness described the dog jumping up near them, as they stood with their hands crossed over their chests in a ‘defensive position’.

Connie Coombs, defending, put it to witnesses that this stance could have just been to keep warm, on a December afternoon.

Mr Bullas said when the police armed response unit arrived, officers got out of their car and one of them shouted a warning to the couple to move away from the dog, which then moved towards him, and another officer.

He was shot moments later.

One witness who gave evidence to the court behind a screen told how he had been driving in the area.

He described seeing the grey and white dog ‘jumping up’ on its back legs at two women, who he said had were holding two small dogs above their heads to try to keep them away from Ghost.

Both of the police officers sent to attend the incident were shown 17 seconds of video footage from officer who shot Ghost body cam.

The second officer, under questioning from Ms Coombs, agreed that Ghost had not appeared to be acting dangerously during the footage.

But he said they had to make a split second decision as the dog approached, and that the information they had was that it had attacked people.

After hearing all of the evidence Mr Spruce said Sophie’s case met the threshold of the definition of ‘dangerous and out of control’ laid out in the Dangerous Dogs Act, whether or not he injured someone.

He adjourned the case for pre-sentencing reports, but told Sophie that he was not considering a custodial sentence.

Sophie is looking to implement The Ghost Act which will not allow officers to use firearms without properly assessing the dog.

The act will also look to ensure officers are prosecuted if they wrongfully shoot a dog.

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