A San Antonio couple is reeling from a tragic police encounter that resulted in the death of their two dogs at the hands of an San Antonio Police Department officer. The Sekulas, Saybra and Trey, claim the officer shot their pets without adequate cause, an action captured on their home surveillance system. The incident took place on the morning of Sunday, as the officer was responding to a call for assault in progress, KENS 5 reports.
According to the couple, the officer did not knock on the front door as he claims in the police report, instead heading directly to the back where the dogs were subsequently shot. The dogs, Rainee and Freyas, were described by the Sekulas as non-aggressive purebred American Bullies, with Rainee also serving as an emotional support dog registered to their late daughter. "And he shot her, about three steps out the door," Saybra told KENS 5.
The police report states the officer knocked and announced himself at the back door and, upon hearing screaming, feared for his safety when the dogs emerged. Yet, the Sekulas maintain that the officer's reaction was disproportionate, as the dogs had only sought to greet him. "I want him to see justice. It’s a third-degree felony," Saybra claimed in an interview with KSAT. San Antonio Police Department has not placed the officer on leave and cited the family for loose dogs despite the animals being on their own property when shot.
The shooting has become the focus of an internal San Antonio Police Department investigation and has sparked public outcry, particularly because one of the dogs killed was a service animal. "Those dogs all they want to do is be by you and then coming out wagging their tail, yes they bark, dogs bark, that’s what they do," Trey said during an interview with KENS 5. The Sekulas have expressed their intention to file a formal complaint against the officer come Wednesday.
This incident raises questions concerning San Antonio Police Department's policy and officer training when dealing with domestic pets. It also strikes an emotional chord in the community due to the previous loss the Sekula family endured, with their daughter Cami's passing in 2022 from a drunk driver, making the loss of Rainee, her emotional support dog, even more harrowing. Further updates are anticipated as KSAT continues to seek additional information and any available body camera footage from San Antonio Police Department.
