A recently released video captures the moment when a police sharpshooter fired three shots with a shotgun at an XL Bully named Ghost. Identified as A35, the officer is shown aiming and shooting at the dog before the fatal shot was delivered with a pistol.
Ghost, a three-year-old dog weighing nine stone, was shot on December 7 in response to reports of a dangerous dog on the loose in Sheffield. The police received two emergency calls indicating that the dog had bitten a woman and behaved aggressively toward another.
With no owner present, the XL Bully charged toward officers upon their arrival, prompting the use of gunfire to neutralize the risk it posed to the public. Sheffield Magistrates’ Court was informed that the officers acted based on information that the dog had previously attacked individuals.
Following the dog’s demise, owner Sophie Zaherali, 31, shared photos online in an attempt to identify the officer involved, resulting in her facing charges for malicious communications. On October 13, Sophie, residing in Wisewood, Sheffield, was found guilty of owning a dangerously out-of-control dog after a three-hour trial.
Sophie, also charged with maliciously communicating against the police officer who shot her dog, pleaded guilty. However, other charges related to allowing a fighting dog in public without proper restraint were dropped.
In response, South Yorkshire Police’s Firearms Inspector Steve Usher stressed the importance of owners taking responsibility for their dogs’ actions. He highlighted the tragic incidents where officers had to intervene to save individuals mauled by their own pets, emphasizing that public safety is their top priority.
The force reiterated that the decision to shoot a dog is never made lightly, with officers undergoing extensive training and risk assessments to ensure community and officer safety. Sophie Zaherali is scheduled for sentencing on December 16 at the same court.