The cheers were for the Knicks's NBA Finals win, but what followed has Los Angeles demanding answers. A Saturday night celebration in the Canoga Park neighborgood ended with an LAPD officer fatally shooting Jameson, a 2-year-old Saint Berdoodle wearing a Knicks jersey, after police responded to reports of screaming at an apartment. The family says the noise was just exuberant victory shouts and insists no one was in danger when officers arrived. Police say Jameson rushed at them at the door, and one officer opened fire, California City News reports.
Video from the aftermath, in which the dog's owner, Marie Marseille, sobs over Jameson's body, has spread widely online, fueling anger and a growing memorial outside the building. "The Knicks just won the championship. We were just so happy," she says in the video. "He was the best dog you would ever, ever see," says Jeremiah Garcia, Marseille's son. Neighbors described the dog as friendly but high-energy.
- Marseille, a nurse and longtime Knicks fan originally from Rockland County, New York, tells NBC News that she had been shouting to celebrate the win. "I started screaming. I was like: 'The Knicks are champions! The Knicks just won!'" she says. "It was so euphoric." She says Jameson slipped past her legs while she was speaking with officers at the door and was shot twice within seconds. She says the dog has "never once" shown aggression toward anybody.
- The neighbor who called 911 told KABC that they feel guilty, but they honestly believed their neighbor was in trouble.
- Mayor Karen Bass has promised a "thorough and transparent" review. "I have spoken directly to the chief to ensure a full investigation and accountability for any wrongdoing," she said in a statement.
- Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell called the shooting "an incredibly tragic incident," saying a specialized unit is investigating the officer's use of a service weapon and how LAPD training on encounters with dogs was applied. "The loss of a pet is deeply personal," the chief said. "For many, a dog is not simply an animal; it is a companion, a source of comfort, and a member of the family."
- A GoFundMe fundraiser for cremation fees and "Justice for Jameson" has raised more than $180,000, well above the initial $10,000 goal. Marseille tells NBC that she plans to donate some of the money or start a nonprofit in Jameson's name. She says she hopes the incident will lead to reforms in the LAPD. "This could have been prevented. I really truly believe it could have been," she says. "Why is the gun the first option? I don't get it."
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