Tears Fall in Canoga Park: LAPD Accidentally Kills Family Dog During Knicks Celebration

A joyous celebration of the New York Knicks' NBA championship turned into a heartbreaking tragedy when Los Angeles police officers responding to a call about a screaming woman accidentally shot and killed the family dog, authorities and witnesses reported.

The incident occurred on Saturday in Canoga Park, where a woman was screaming inside a condo building on Jordan Avenue. The family dog, Jameson, a 2-year-old golden retriever, Saint Bernard, and poodle mix, rushed at the officers when they arrived to check on the situation. Cellphone video from the condo building captured the emotional aftermath of the incident.

Jamison's owner had been celebrating the Knicks' championship win with her family before the shooting, witnesses said. A photo taken moments before Jameson was killed shows the dog wearing a New York Knicks shirt.

The incident began just after 8 p.m. when a neighbor asked police to check on the woman who was screaming. When the officer arrived, the dog rushed at them, leading to the unfortunate decision to use lethal force. Video from the Citizen App captured the urgent scene in the neighborhood.

Raymon Alvarez, who lives across the street, said he heard the screaming while heading out for a walk.

'The screaming I heard was like, 'Ah! Oh my God! Oh my God!' Like just, pure screaming,' Alvarez said.

When he returned home, he said he heard gunfire, but he did not think it was gunshots at first because the area is not known for such violence.

A memorial has grown in the hallway where neighbors watched Jameson die.

The circumstances that led up to the police shooting are under review.