Woman Sues Huntington Beach Police for $6 Million Over Rottweiler Killing
A Huntington Beach woman whose dog was killed by police has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the Police Department, seeking more than $6 million in damages for the loss of the animal.
Serena King filed the lawsuit in Superior Court on Monday. According to the suit, Evo, a 5-year-old Rottweiler, was shot and killed in front of King’s 12-year-old son.
King’s suit alleges that police went to her Hartford Street home with a social worker who was investigating a child neglect complaint against her.
Her son arrived home and entered the house through a rear gate. After police were told that the boy had gone inside, according to the suit, an officer, without permission or a search warrant, entered a fenced backyard where the dog was.
There was no emergency, yet police unnecessarily killed the dog and were “completely unapologetic for their actions,” said King’s attorney, Jerry L. Steering.
As for the child-neglect complaint, King retained custody of her two children.
City Atty. Jennifer McGrath said the city had received notice of the lawsuit but said it was too soon to discuss the case.
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