Family Raided by SWAT and their Dog Shot, for Being Unable to Pay Utility Bill

[+paradox]

Family Raided by SWAT and their Dog Shot, for Being Unable to Pay Utility Bill
Read more at http://thefreethoughtproject.com/fa...-unable-pay-utility-bill/#BLZCot4w85ERKwJT.99

St. Louis, MO — Nothing says Police State USA quite like a SWAT team raiding a family home and killing their dog because they are unable to pay their natural gas bill.

The woman whose dog was killed and home destroyed by SWAT officers is Angela Zorich, and her story about her police state experience will shock the conscious.

According to a federal lawsuit filed this month, Zorich was the victim of a massive military-style raid and subsequent puppycide. The raid was carried out because police said they needed “to check if her home had electricity and natural gas service.”

“This is an example of police overreaching and using excessive force to get a family out of their house,” said Kenneth Chackes to the Riverfront Times, the attorney who represents Zorich.

According to the lawsuit, on April 25, 2014, St. Louis County Police officers came to her house. Her son cussed at them. They inspected the home’s exterior and placed a “Problem Properties” sticker on the front window.

Days after being publicly shamed and labeled by the St. Louis Police Department as a “Problem,” on April 28, Zorich called them to follow up. She was told by police that she was being investigated for failing to have natural gas or electric service; two violations against city code.

Zorich admitted to the police that she did not have gas, but said that she did have electricity. Zorich asked for another inspection to prove that she had the utilities. The officer told her that was fine, but that the investigation would continue.

The next day, on April 29, 2014, the home of Angela Zorich was raided by multiple officers from the St. Louis County Police Tactical Response Unit.

The Riverfront Times outlines the details of the lawsuit:

Zorich was at home with several family members and her pit bull, Kiya, when a St. Louis County Police Tactical Response Unit burst through the door without knocking, according to her suit. The unit had at least five officers with M-4 rifles, supported by at least eight uniformed officers.

The officers entered so quickly, Zorich’s suit alleges, that Kiya didn’t even have time to bark. A tactical officer fired three shots into the dog, and the dog’s “bladder and bowels released and she fell to the floor.” The dog “was laying on the floor in her own waste and blood struggling to breathe. She had a gaping hole in her chest.”

Zorich claims the officers kept trying to talk to her about the natural gas, but she was focused on her dog, whom she’d raised as a puppy and who (she says) had “never shown agression to any person.”

At one point in the raid, Zorich alleges, an officer pointed his firearm at her son’s head and said “One word, motherfucker, and I’ll put three in you.”



Zorich was subsequently taken into custody at the police station. When she was finally let go and allowed to return to her home, she found to be completely trashed. Beds had been overturned, and items that were once on shelves had been thrown to the floor.

The citations issued to Zorich, which had allegedly justified the heavily militarized raid on her home, were for substandard siding, guard rail, screens, window glass and deck.

A dozen armed men dressed for war, were dispatched to a woman’s home, killed her dog, and kidnapped her because of some moldy wood and her inability to pay her gas bill.

In what world is this considered “justice”?

The apologists will say that Angela Zorich provoked police into this action against her. If she didn’t want to be raided, they will say, she should have just paid her gas bill. The thought of the raid being retaliatory in nature won’t enter their minds.

Named in the lawsuit is the county of St. Louis and two officers, Corey Zavorka and Robert M. Rinck. Her allegations include unlawful seizure and unlawful infliction of emotional distress (for the killing of the dog) and unlawful retaliation.

Hopefully, with her legal team, Zorich gets the actual justice she deserves.







how do you feel about that?

 

[Jazzy]

On April 23, 2014, an anonymous tipster called in to complain that the folks living at a house on 3000 block of Caprock Court "frequently cause disturbances" and allow a dog to "run at large" and "stay out all night and day, barking non-stop." Plus, the tipster said, the house's gas had been shut off.

An officer checked the logs and saw that, in 2014 alone, police had already fielded several calls for service vis-a-vis the Zorich residence, including "disturbances" and "vicious animals." Per the report: "There is a hazard/alert on the property that was entered in 2012 indicating that two cars be dispatched as the residents do not like the police and can become violent."

At that time, according to the report, Angela Zorich had outstanding warrants for traffic and motor vehicle violations; a Joseph M. Zorich was wanted for several offenses including assault; and Zachariah D. Zorich was wanted for several offenses as well, including two counts of assault.

On April 25, two problem property inspectors drove out to investigate the house, accompanied by three police officers. When they approached the front door, someone shut it, locked it and said, "fuck you!"

But the inspectors took notes on the exterior, which showed that Laclede Gas had indeed shut off service. And in the backyard, tied to a deck that looked like "a collapse hazard," was a "large aggressive dog."

They placed a "Problem Property" sticker on the front window.

After placing the sticker, the police received e-mails from neighbors complaining about underage drinking on site, profanity, young people coming and going, and the noisy, unleashed pit bull, according to the report.

On April 28, police received a call from Angela Zorich, who was "yelling and cursing" (she admits to cursing in her lawsuit). She demanded to know what was going on. An officer told her that police needed to check the inside of the house. She said she wanted to talk to her husband and her attorney first. An officer said the investigation would continue anyway.

The next day, at around 12:30 pm, the tactical unit set up position outside the house. From the report:

Zorich and two of her sons were arrested.

Zorich was arrested for those traffic warrants -- failure to register a vehicle, for speeding and for violating electric signal.

One son was arrested on warrants for violation of financial responsibility, interfering with duties of a police office, peace disturbance, and assault. A second son was arrested for failing to appear in a previous traffic case.

And here's where things get really weird: At one point during the SWAT raid, according to the report, a neighbor exited his his house, began "giving 'Heil Hitler' type salutes" and "shouting racist remarks at a member of the Tactical Unit....he was pointing to a 'swastika' tattoo on his person." This guy "ran inside his residence when officers started to walk towards him."

The report contained no additional information on the man's connection to the case.

Not all neighbors acted this way toward the cops. Some neighbors, reportedly, felt grateful:

Source

Anyone want to show me where this was about them not being able to pay the utility bill?

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

Anyone want to show me where this was about them not being able to pay the utility bill?

Excellent!

 

[Sinon]

Anyone want to show me where this was about them not being able to pay the utility bill?

Well yeah, they're cops. By default they're in the wrong, they probably murdered the woman and are just pretending she's still alive to look good for the press.

 

[Jazzy]

Well yeah, they're cops. By default they're in the wrong, they probably murdered the woman and are just pretending she's still alive to look good for the press.

I'd more believe that than the source used in the OP. As everyone can clearly read nothing they say or publish is based on facts.

 

[+paradox]

so, what was the reason for the search warrant then?