PRESS STATEMENT
CONCERNING THE DISHONESTY OF THE WYCKOFF POLICE IN REGARDS TO THE KILLING OF OUR DOG OTTO
05/01/2015
We are issuing this statement as a means of collecting the evidence we’ve assembled relating to the killing of our pet German Shepard, Otto, on 04/29/2015. We’d like to make it clear that while it is devastating to have lost our beloved pet, and this tragedy was obviously completely avoidable, an excessive use of force, and a dangerously negligent act on the behalf of Officer Ferreira - we would have found satisfaction in an apology, and for the Wyckoff Police to have told the truth surrounding the circumstances that caused this disaster. Unfortunately, the Wyckoff Police have defended the actions of Officer Ferreira, assumed no responsibility, conducted no official investigation, and have consistently contradicted the reports of the two eye-witness neighbors, as well as the physical evidence at the scene. Very clearly, they are not being truthful, nor accepting liability for an extreme act of negligence.
WHAT THE POLICE SAY
Though the Wyckoff Police Department has not yet released the official police report, we spoke to police Chief Fox on the afternoon of 05/01/2015, and asked if he was sticking to the details that he made public through the media. He confidently confirmed that the details of the police report would be consistent with the statements he made to the media on 04/30/2015.
We are told that while dispatch issued a call to 621 Lawlins Rd., Officer Ferreira verbally confirmed the incorrect address, stating “622” over the radio. He was not corrected. The police maintain that Officer Ferreira then proceeded down the driveway to the front door of 622 Lawlins Rd., the Vukobratovic residence. He then supposedly knocked loudly, multiple times - finding no one home, he entered the back yard through the unlocked gate, and proceeded into the yard, around the landscaping, to a the patio area where he discovered an open window. According to the police, the officer considered the window a possible point of entry for what he believed to be a burglary in progress, and drew his weapon. It was at this time that Otto, “lunged” at the officer through the open window, attacking his boot. Officer Ferreira maintains that the dog “had him” by the boot, and considered his life to be in danger, which was reason for him to fire four rounds at the dog - two of which missed, the other two hit Otto in his back and side.
After the incident, Animal Control arrived to take Otto to the hospital. No investigation was made on the actual crime scene. The officers who arrived on the scene scoured the yard looking for the casings and bullets from the missed shots. No report was made regarding these ballistics, nor were any photographs taken of the scene. The Wyckoff Police department maintains that the use of force was completely justified, as the dog was violently attacking the Officer, putting his life at risk. Despite this, the officer sustained no injuries. Officer Ferreira remains in active duty.
WHAT WITNESSES SAY
Two adult residents and a child were home mid-afternoon on 04/29/2015. Having just had their windows professionally cleaned, the blinds in their home were open on every window. One of the residents was inspecting the work done on the windows and noticed some unusual damage to one of them, indicating a potential point of entry for what could be a future burglary incident. He called his cleaning service, and they denied causing the damage. Not wanting to create an emergency situation, especially with a child in the home, the resident drove to the Wyckoff Police Department to file an official report regarding the damage. He spoke to an officer at the front desk, and was told a patrolman would be dispatched to his home within the hour.
A short time later, a patrol car pulled onto the street in front of 622 Lawlins Rd., and both residents of 621 Lawlins Rd. approached the front of the house - one at the window, one at the door. They observed Officer Ferreira exit the vehicle and proceed down the driveway of 622 Lawlins Rd. There were no cars parked in the driveway of 622 Lawlins Rd., so the residents of 621 had an unobscured vantage point. Moments later, Officer Ferreira was observed entering the backyard through the gate. Within seconds, one resident observed Otto coming around the corner of the house, barking at the officer. Officer Ferreira was then observed taking a “standard shooting position” and firing multiple times at the dog. The resident observed dirt being kicked into the air from at least one of the shots being fired into the ground. Upon hearing gunshots, one resident left the house, yelling at the officer for being at the wrong address, questioning what he was doing. He raised his hands to his head as a gesture of disbelief regarding his own actions.
EVIDENCE
Officer Ferreira claims he entered the property, came around the side of the house, and observed an open window that he believed was a possible point of entry in relation to this “burglary” call. While inspecting the window, Otto lunged from the window, startling the officer, at which point he fired four times at the dog. This is easily disproven. The eyewitness statements are extremely clear about being able to observe Officer Ferreira firing at the dog near the gate, nowhere near any open window he could have been alerted to.
On Thursday, 04/30/2015 Zana Vukobratovic discovered a bullet casing laying in plain sight on the grass near the gate to their backyard. Officers were called to investigate the casing, but made no photograph of its location, handled it without gloves, and did not thoroughly document the scene.
On Friday, 05/01/2015, while walking in the yard, Igor Vukobratovic and Chris Scala, discovered a bullet embedded in the dirt, approximately 18 feet from the entrance to the backyard. The location of this bullet is supported by the statement of the resident at 621 Lawlins Rd. that saw dirt kicked into the air from one of the shots. Realizing that there could very easily be additional evidence still at the scene, Igor and Chris combed the area, and discovered a bullet casing resting in the leaves, mere inches from the casing recovered on Thursday 04/30/2015.
The photo below demonstrates the likely position of the officer at the time of the shooting based on the location of these three pieces of ballistics:
http://i.imgur.com/iYVJOl9.jpg
As you can see from the below photograph, while standing in this position, Officer Ferreira would have not had a view of the rear patio area where the open window was supposedly observed:
http://i.imgur.com/xre81Zv.jpg
Here you can see how close the bullet in the dirt was found in relation to the entrance to the backyard. The officer very obviously opened fire within the first few feet of the backyard:
http://i.imgur.com/BKgHuB5.jpg
Below is the undisturbed bullet casing No. 2 that was found on Friday morning, 05/01/2015:
http://i.imgur.com/blcnBxa.jpg
MOVING FORWARD
At the time of issuing this statement, we have not alerted the Wyckoff Police Department to the discovery of Casing No. 2, or the stray bullet. Quite frankly, we are concerned with their integrity, being that police Chief Fox does not seem interested in an official investigation. We have sought legal counsel in regards to charges that may be brought against the Wyckoff Police Department, and have determined that we will be pursuing them for damages, which in accordance to New Jersey law, is limited to the cost of Otto himself, and expenses related to this tragedy. Despite their extreme negligence, excessive use of force, discharging of a firearm in a residential neighborhood, and fabricated police report, Officer Ferreira will only be held accountable by the department itself. If there is enough support from the community, we may be able to drive the point home that we do not tolerate this kind of irresponsibility on our local police force - nor do we tolerate the fabrication of details in order to protect a wildly negligent officer responsible for needlessly murdering a family pet in its own backyard. It is up to us to hold them accountable.
