Graphic video shows police shooting dog during arrest

HAWTHORNE, Calif. -- A Hawthorne police officer shot and killed a dog belonging to a man accused of disturbing a crime scene. The video has gone viral, and has some people asking if the response by police was excessive.

A video of police arresting a man in Hawthorne, Calif., appears to show them shooting his dog, Max, dead at the scene.

Police arrested Leon Rosby, 52, after he tried to film a police raid with his cell phone, according to CBS. Police said his loud music and his behaviour was obstructing the officers' response to an armed robbery call. But Rosby wasn't the only person filming nearby, because a video of his arrest posted online on June 30 shows the entire scene unfolding.

Footage shows Rosby standing on the street with his dog, a Rottweiler, near several police cruisers. Two officers approach him as he puts his dog into a car. They handcuff him, the dog jumps out and runs toward them and the officer shoots the animal several times as bystanders scream.

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The video received many responses on Reddit before the website disabled comments because users were "witch-hunting" and posting personal information.

The police issued a statement confirming the officer had killed the dog after it ran toward him aggressively, according to CBS.

The video has more than 746,000 views on YouTube. Please be warned: the content is graphic.

Rosby has filed a complaint against Hawthorne police for killing his dog, one of six complaints he's filed in recent years for harassment and racial profiling, according to Daily Breeze.

The story says he also sued the police department before, saying officers broke his rib when they responded to a domestic violence call. Rosby has convictions including battery and driving under the influence, according to Daily Breeze.

Police released Rosby from jail on Monday morning. He told media he screamed and cried when the officer shot his dog.

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