A Georgia police officer shot a man and his two dogs early Thursday during a welfare check in front of the man's four young children. Kelsy Lackey reported the incident, stating that she called 911 shortly after midnight due to concerns about a mental health episode involving her husband Dustin’s sister.
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Fairburn police were dispatched to the area regarding a woman sitting in the road. After escorting the woman home, officers faced a situation where two dogs allegedly charged at them. One officer fired at the dogs, resulting in injuries to both animals and to Dustin Lackey.
Kelsy Lackey described the chaos as her husband began to scream and their children cried. She recalled an officer instructing them to control their dogs while still brandishing a weapon. Dustin was shot in the foot while attempting to leash the dogs to prevent further injury. He stated, "I was trying to get my hands on him to wrap him up and bring him back in the house so he didn’t get shot again. In that process, I got shot in the foot."
In line with standard procedure for officer-involved shootings, Fairburn police have asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to lead the investigation. Agents spent several hours collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses at the scene.
Both dogs survived the incident and are being treated at a veterinary office; one was shot in the chest and the other in the nose. Kelsy Lackey expressed her gratitude that no one was killed but voiced concerns about the emotional impact on her children, aged 2, 6, 7, and 9. She noted, "It hasn’t really set in yet. I feel like the most traumatizing part of it was my daughter screaming and crying, hoping that her dogs and her daddy weren’t dead."
Dustin Lackey hopes the officer who shot him will be held accountable. Thankfully, his sister is reportedly okay. Inquiries about the incident have been referred to the GBI by Fairburn police.