A New Orleans police officer who fatally shot a puppy will face a jury lawsuit trial
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A New Orleans police officer who shot and killed a puppy while responding to a call is set to go to trial Monday in a federal lawsuit filed by the dog's owners.
The Catahoula Leopard dog ran up to Officer Derrick Burmaster after he entered the yard in response to a report of a domestic disturbance in 2021. The department's internal investigators said the dog did not pose a threat.
Multiple internal investigations by the New Orleans Police Department found that the lethal shooting of the 18-week-old, 22-pound (10-kilogram) rescue dog Apollo violated department policies and was 'unjustified.' But after Apollo's owners sued Burmaster and the city of New Orleans in 2022, department leadership in July 2023 cleared him of wrongdoing for his use of force during the final step in the review.
New Orleans Independent Police Monitor Stella Cziment, whose office has closely followed the case, said that she saw no reason — save the civil lawsuit — for the department's reversal.
'I don't see how it aligns with policy; I don't understand how he was exonerated and I disagree with that finding,' Cziment said.
Longstanding federal oversight of the city's police department put in place after a decades-long history of misconduct and culture of impunity is in the process of winding down. Department leaders have sought to reassure the public that they have built a system of transparency and accountability.
The dog's owners, Derek Brown and Julia Barecki-Brown, say Burmaster violated their constitutional rights by shooting Apollo on their property 'in the absence of an objectively legitimate and imminent threat.' They are seeking damages for emotional distress after they held Apollo in their arms as he died. They declined to comment via their attorney.
Burmaster and the New Orleans Police Department declined to comment, citing pending litigation. In court filings, Burmaster's attorneys argue he was acting within the scope of his duty as a police officer when he fired the gun.
A fatal encounter
On the evening of April 10, 2021, Burmaster and his partner responded to a nighttime call that a woman had been screaming inside a home in the city's Lower Garden District.
Body camera footage reviewed by The Associated Press, police investigation records and court documents detail what happened next.
Burmaster approached the gated yard making what he described as 'kissing noises' to assess whether any dogs were present and said aloud there were none.
Soon after the officers entered through the gate, two dogs — Apollo and another larger dog owned by the family — came running while barking. The larger dog approached Burmaster's partner, who exited back through the gate. Apollo moved toward Burmaster, who covered his crotch with one hand and fired three shots with the other.
The owners of the dogs then ran out from the home, screaming at the officers.
'Oh my god, what did you do, what did you do,' Barecki-Brown shouted. 'No! No! No!'
'That's a baby, that's a puppy,' she continued, sobbing hysterically.
Burmaster identified himself as a police officer, apologized repeatedly, and asked them why they let the dogs out.
'I made kissy noises — to get, if there was a dog behind this fence,' Burmaster said.
'How could you shoot a puppy?' Barecki-Brown responded. 'This is the love of our lives.'
Reviews of Burmaster's decision to fire
Burmaster repeatedly told investigators he fired his gun because he was afraid Apollo would bite him in the genitals. In 2012, Burmaster also fatally shot another dog while grabbing his crotch for protection, police records show. There have been 11 fatal shootings of animals between 2012 and 2022 by New Orleans police officers, according to police records shared in court filings.
During a hearing held by the department's Use of Force Review Board — which unanimously ruled Burmaster was not justified in firing his weapon — Deputy Superintendent Christopher Goodly stated 'the smaller dog posed no threat.'
Investigators noted Burmaster did not consider non-lethal options such as kicking the dog or using his Taser. In violation of department policy, he was not carrying his baton or wearing his body armor.
Sgt. David Duplantier of the department's training academy later testified that he felt Burmaster had acted properly under difficult circumstances, court records show.
Burmaster's partner was sent to the hospital to treat a minor wound caused by the firing of Burmaster's gun.
Burmaster trained other field officers in the department at the time. In the five years leading up to the incident, he used force 11 times and all instances were found to be justified by the department, according to court records.
Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick acknowledged in a deposition that she signed off on the decision to exonerate Burmaster without reviewing the bodycam footage. The officer received an 'oral reprimand' for not being properly equipped.
Apollo was a Catahoula, a medium-sized breed known for hunting and tracking prowess and is Louisiana's state dog. The United Kennel Club, a global dog registry, describes Catahoulas as 'affectionate, gentle and loyal family companions.'
___
Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNN
21 minutes ago
- CNN
Los Angeles mayor blames immigration raids for violence
The situation in Los Angeles has calmed down after protesters clashed with police over the weekend. CNN witnessed police using flash-bangs and tear gas to disperse crowds, with some hitting protesters, as well as protesters setting self-driving cars on fire. The city's mayor, Karen Bass, says she blames federal immigration raids for the escalating tensions.


CBS News
22 minutes ago
- CBS News
New photos released of Travis Decker amid search for Washington dad accused of killing 3 daughters
Authorities released new images of Travis Decker as they continue their search for the 32-year-old man who is accused of killing his three young daughters in central Washington 10 days ago. The images released by the Chelan County Sheriff's Office in Wenatchee, Washington, show tattoos on Decker's ankle and arms. Another photo of his right side appears to show him walking. Hundreds of law enforcement personnel have been searching for Decker — scouring forested areas, structures and a river in the area where Decker was last known to be located, the sheriff's office said over the weekend. They have been seeking the public's help, asking residents to review doorbell cameras and security footage for signs of him. "If you are out in the woods, or recreation areas, and come across something you believe would be beneficial for law enforcement, note the time and location and mark the location on your electronics if possible." the sheriff's office said. Images of Travis Decker released by the Chelan County Sheriff's Office on June 7, 2025. Chelan County Sheriff's Office Last week, authorities asked people who live or own cabins in remote areas of several Washington state counties to lock their doors, including locking up sheds, while the search continued. They also asked people to keep outside lights on and leave their blinds open. Decker is accused of killing his three daughters on May 30. Three days after that, the bodies of the 5, 8 and 9-year-olds were found near a campground in central Washington. Decker's unoccupied pickup truck was also found. The girls' mother, Whitney Decker, had reported to police that Decker did not return the girls on time following a planned visit. Decker is a former Army soldier who, according to police, is well-versed in wilderness survival. He is described as 5 feet, 8 inches tall and 190 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. He is "considered dangerous and may be armed," the sheriff's office said in a release alongside the new images. They urged people not to approach Decker if they encounter him and to instead call 911 immediately.


New York Times
22 minutes ago
- New York Times
Mayor Bass of Los Angeles Blames Immigration Raids for Inflaming Tensions
Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles said on Monday that the Trump administration and its immigration raids were to blame for inflaming tensions in the city. In a televised interview, Ms. Bass sought to downplay the protests of the last few days. 'This is not citywide civil unrest,' she said on CNN. 'A few streets downtown, it looks horrible.' She noted that most Angelenos have been living life as normal, away from the clashes focused in a relatively small area outside a federal office building and detention center downtown. She promised that protesters who destroyed cars and threw things at police officers would be prosecuted, and said that the police were combing through video images of the clashes to identify people who had committed crimes. Ms. Bass said that it was President Trump and his federal immigration authorities who had provoked the unrest by sending federal agents in tactical gear to workplaces in the city to detain and deport immigrants. 'Why were there raids?' she asked. 'We had been told that he was going to go after violent criminals. It wasn't a drug den; it was a Home Depot.' Ms. Bass was referring to one of several immigration raids conducted on Friday that prompted days of protest, including at a Home Depot in the nearby city of Paramount, Calif., where day laborers regularly gather in search of work. She said it appeared that the Trump administration was deliberately trying to sow chaos in the city, and then generating more backlash by sending in National Guard troops. 'What was the reason that the president had to take the power from the governor and federalize the National Guard?' she asked. 'The night before this action was taken, there was a protest that got a little unruly, late at night. It was 100 people. Twenty-seven people were arrested. There wasn't a reason for this.'