Family: Cops Killed Our Dog for No Reason

Jan. 10 -- A family that was mistakenly pulled over as robbery suspects have filed complaints against police in Cookeville, Tenn., after one officer shot and killed their dog.

The Smoak family, of Saluda, N.C., was traveling along Interstate 40 on their way home from a holiday vacation Jan. 1 when their car was pulled over by a Tennessee state trooper and officers in three Cookeville police cars.

Authorities received a 911 call about money flying out of the Smoaks' car on the highway and they thought they were chasing robbery suspects.

"I passed the Mount Juliet exit and a car passed me. It was kind of like a station wagon. It was dark green," said the driver who called 911.

"It was probably going about 110 miles an hour. And then not too far in front of me, there was money flying all over the interstate," the female caller continued.

Police released a video of the incident Wednesday. It shows that troopers ordered the family out of the car, and that James and Pamela Smoak and their 17-year-old son, Brandon, obeyed. Each came out with their hands up and were handcuffed.

As James Smoak kneeled with his hands behind his back, he warned police that he had a dog in the car.

"I have a dog in the car and I don't want it to jump out, sir," James Smoak said on the videotape.

Just then, the family's dog, a 1 ½-year-old pit bull named Patton, leaped out of the open car door.

The dog barked and rushed toward Cookeville police officer Eric Hall, who was holding a shotgun. The officer shot the animal once in the head.

"You killed my damn dog," James Smoak cried out. "I cannot believe it!"

False Alarm

Police found out later that James Smoak had left his wallet on the roof of the car by accident, and that was why the money was flying from the car.

The misinterpretation was the result of poor communications between two different dispatch centers, Cookeville police said.

In an interview with Cookeville's Herald-Citizen, Hall said he had no choice but to shoot the dog after it charged at him.