Brutality Canada

Police shoot dog, owner

By KATHLEEN HARRIS -- Sun Media
September 1, 2000

OTTAWA -- A man who turned his dog loose against police responding to a domestic call was gunned down on his front lawn yesterday.

The man, identified by neighbours as Perry Hoover, 38,was rushed by ambulance to Ottawa Hospital. His dog, a mastiff, was shot and killed by police.

Ontario's Special Investigations Unit, which probes cases where police have caused injury with a weapon, are investigating the incident.

Neighbours who live on the quiet street weren't surprised that years of turbulent, suspicious activity had culminated in a shooting.

They said they had been "terrorized" by continual disturbances at the house, and said police had been called there many times.

"I'm glad it has finally come to this," one said.

"Maybe this will end it all."

September 2000
 

Woman charged after police shooting
Common-law wife of wounded man released from custody

A woman who was wrestled to the ground and arrested as police opened fire on her common-law husband and their pet dog during a south-end domestic dispute was charged and released from custody yesterday.

Toni Grant, a 46-year-old Ottawa woman, was taken to hospital around 10:30 a.m. yesterday after complaining of feeling ill while in police custody. Investigators awaited her discharge from hospital before charging her with assaulting a police officer and mischief to police property. She was released on a promise to appear. Her first court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 20.

Ms. Grant's partner, 39-year-old Perry Hoover, remained in stable condition at the Ottawa Hospital's General site yesterday, recovering from gunshot wounds to his abdomen and wrist.

Mr. Hoover was shot at least twice at point-blank range by Ottawa-Carleton police shortly after 1 p.m. Thursday, after he set an attack dog loose on officers who were trying to settle the dispute at 2105 Bangor St.

The dog, a one-year-old bull mastiff, was shot and killed as it lunged, growling, at police. Witnesses said Mr. Hoover was shot as he waved a chain at the officers. It was the region's first police shooting in 21/2 years.

Witnesses said the incident began when Ms. Grant ran out of the house swearing and threatening the officers. She ended up pinned to the ground, handcuffed and led kicking and screaming into a police cruiser.

Mr. Hoover, who has a long criminal history, will remain under police guard at the hospital until doctors approve his release. At that point, he'll be taken into custody and formally charged with a slew of offences. One likely charge will be assault with a dangerous weapon -- his dog -- against police. Another probable charge is common assault against Ms. Grant.

The couple earned a nasty reputation on the tree-lined street of bungalows, which are predominantly inhabited by elderly citizens.

Neighbours said Mr. Hoover would often confront, swear at and threaten elderly women as they walked along the street. Police responded to another dispute at the home about a month ago. Neighbours said they'd frequently be startled awake by explosive late-night fights between Mr. Hoover, Ms. Grant and others.

The couple returned to their Bangor Street home last spring. Mr. Hoover recently finished serving a 15-month jail sentence for pointing a rifle in the face of a Blue Line taxi driver two years ago.

Meanwhile, the province's police watchdog was busy yesterday interviewing and re-interviewing witnesses to Thursday's shooting.

Veteran Special Investigations Unit investigator Gareth Jones arrived from Toronto late Thursday to lead the probe. Eight investigators are on the case, which involves one subject officer and eight witness officers. The subject officer is a young Ottawa-Carleton police patrol constable, whose name will not be released unless charges are laid against him by the SIU.

"Our preliminary information indicates officers were aggressively confronted by a man and his dog," SIU spokeswoman Gail Scala said. "We're not confirming the number of shots that were fired at this time."

Witnesses reported hearing about 10 gunshots fired by police. The SIU is urging witnesses to call them at 416-622-2159 or 1-800-787-8529, ext. 22150.

The SIU is a civilian agency that investigates circumstances involving police and members of the public that result in serious injury, sexual assault or death.

Reprinted under the Fair Use doctrine of international copyright law.

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This page created September 3, 2000