A shot was fired at three Langley animal control officers during a police confrontation on 0 Avenue Friday night, Nov. 10, that ended with a fire and the apparent death of 66-year-old Don Bennett.
More details of the incident were disclosed by Sarah Jones, executive director of the Aldergrove-based Langley Animal Protection Society, who told the Langley Advance Times the officers arrived to find a police standoff underway at a barn in the 23500 block of 0, the road that runs along the Canada-U.S. border.
B次元官网网址淭hey were told [by RCMP] that there was a wellness check happening, and there were dogs blocking access to the person,B次元官网网址� Jones said.
B次元官网网址淲e were called in because one of [BennettB次元官网网址檚] dogs was in the outside of the barn in the fenced-off area, and so they could not access the door. So we went in to B次元官网网址榗atch poleB次元官网网址� that dog [and] we did that without incident. Then there was another dog, heard from inside, and that dog was in with Mr. Bennett.B次元官网网址�
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After what Jones described as a B次元官网网址渟ignificant amount of timeB次元官网网址� with no response from Bennett, the officers decided to investigate.
B次元官网网址淢r. Bennett didnB次元官网网址檛 say anything to them. They didnB次元官网网址檛 know if he was alive or not, or even in there, so they needed to check, so they jimmied open the door,B次元官网网址� Jones described.
B次元官网网址淚t was really dark in the barn. When they attempted to open the barn door to retrieve the second dog, that moment is when the shot came through the door towards my officers.B次元官网网址�
No one was hit, but as the officers scrambled to find cover, B次元官网网址渙ur manager of animal control thought that one of his officers was shot, and one of the officers thought [the manager] was shot, because they went in opposite directions. For a while there, they thought each other had been shot, and thatB次元官网网址檚 I think that was the hardest[for them].B次元官网网址�
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Jones said the three officers included one who had been on the job just two weeks and came along to learn how to use a catch pole.
A counselor was brought in.
B次元官网网址淪he was called that evening and had a session with each of them in the night to make sure that they were okay,B次元官网网址� Jones said.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e getting the mental health and emotional support they need, and theyB次元官网网址檙e doing remarkably well, but I think this [is] something that [can] show up later.B次元官网网址�
WorkSafe B.C. was to meet with the three Wednesday to do a B次元官网网址渃ritical incidentB次元官网网址� debrief.
Jones described the shooting as B次元官网网址渧ery scaryB次元官网网址� and the B次元官网网址渃all I never wanted to get.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 send my staff out and I want them to come home safe,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a very dangerous job, and I donB次元官网网址檛 think a lot of people understand how dangerous animal control is. TheyB次元官网网址檙e essentially first responders, because if somebody is being attacked by a dog, their job is to go in and resolve that issue. They donB次元官网网址檛 get to run away. Their job is to go and secure the dog.B次元官网网址�
The second dog was retrieved and both are at LAPS, where Jones described them as B次元官网网址渘ot in good shape and behaviorally not sound.B次元官网网址� One has a B次元官网网址渂ite history,B次元官网网址� she said.
A subsequent fire destroyed the building and two police vehicles Friday night. Bennett was believed to be inside, but that had not been confirmed as of Wednesday.
The incident is being investigated by the Independent Investigations Office (IIO), a civilian-led police oversight agency responsible for conducting investigations into police-officer-involved incidents of death or serious harm.
