Family outraged after officer shot dog | ABC11 Raleigh-Durham

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By ABC11

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

FUQUAY-VARINA Christina and Christopher Alarie say they came home on Friday to find their 2-and-half-year-old pit-bull, Bonez, dead on their neighbor's porch.

"I have a permanent image in my mind of my dog being shot, that bullet in my dog's heart," Christina Alarie said. "It's just heartbreaking, my son's 19-months-old, it's his favorite puppy to play with. I don't know how you explain that to people, I have nightmares of it. I can't sleep; you got a cold dog lying on someone's porch."

The couple's neighbor, John Evenson, a Fuquay-Varina police officer shot the dog. He says Bonez got out, attacked his dog, and out of fear for his own safety he shot the pit-bull.

"My 2-and-half-year-old pit-bull isn't an aggressive dog, but I've got a 19-month-old boy that he plays with and you're telling me you shot him," Christina Alarie said.

"Honestly, it really seems like he doesn't like dogs, he's been screaming at our dog since he moved in," Christopher Alarie said. "My son would crawl all over him, play with him, give him kisses."

The Alarie's claim something is not right.

"You've got three kids that live the next house over him," Christina Alarie said. "You got three kids across the street; you got my 19-month-old. And you're telling me that this guy can go around on his property shooting things."

Meanwhile, the Wake County Animal Control says the officer did report it right away and they say he acted within his rights to protect his property.

"There's nothing that can bring him back, I rather see justice served the way it's supposed to be served the right way," Christopher Alarie said.

And the family says they want answers and are calling for an investigation.

"I'm frustrated, because I thought anytime a weapon should be fired, I thought there was supposed to be some time of paper work or sometime of why'd you do it, nothing," Christina Alarie said.

ABC11 Eyewitness News tried contacting Officer Evenson at his house and by phone Monday, but was unable to connect him.

In an e-mail to ABC11 the Fuquay-Varina police chief says he is aware of the shooting involving one of his officers, but the chief did not return ABC11's calls asking about an investigation and for more information about the case.