COLUMBIA, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com)—
An internet video showing a Columbia, Missouri drug raid in which two dogs were shot has angered some people to the point of making telephone threats against officers. The video, shot in February by police, appeared on the internet on YouTube several days ago. It shows police raiding the Columbia home of Jonathan Whitworth. On the tape, you can hear a dog barking, then shots fired. The officers killed the suspects pit bull, and unintentionally also hit the family's other dog, a Corgi. The Corgi was hit in the paw and recovered."The dog was aggressive towards the officers (so) the officers shot at the dogÂ…" said Detective Jeff Westbrook. Police also say reports that the pit bull was locked in a crate when shot are false. As a result of the video posting, the department has received hundreds of angry calls.
The man they were after is Jonathan Whitworth, a small business owner who lives in a middle class neighborhood with his wife and 7 year old son. Both were home during the raid. But police claim Whitworth had another business--- dealing drugs.
The raid, however, turned up only a small amount of marijuana and some drug paraphernalia, a fact which has only further aggravated those upset by the shooting.
Columbia Police are making a policy change as a result of this incident, but it's not about the dogs. It's about executing search warrants quickly. In this case they waited 8 days and they say that may be the reason the drugs they thought they were going to find were no longer in the house.
Jonathan Whitworth said on the advice of his attorney, he could not comment.
