Officer in Danville dog shooting terminated

Officer Murrill McLean has been fired for the June 8 shooting of a dachshund on Berman Drive, according to a news release from Danville Police Chief Philip Broadfoot.

Broadfoot said McLean’s account of the incident was accepted without a proper investigation.

“A proper investigation would have shown that where Officer McLean was standing during the attack would have provided him the time, distance and means necessary to consider other options before using his firearm,” Broadfoot said.

Broadfoot said he went to the scene himself when media reports questioned the investigation.

“My observations immediately raised questions in my mind about how the shooting actually occurred,” Broadfoot said.

McLean, out of town during Broadfoot’s initial investigation, was interviewed by Broadfoot when he returned.

“Once I was able to interview him in person on June 24, I ordered a full-scale internal affairs investigation of the entire incident,” Broadfoot said.

That investigation has been completed, Broadfoot said, and showed McLean’s “reported of how the shooting occurred were misleading and factually inaccurate.”

Broadfoot also said several supervisors in the chain of command did not properly investigate the incident.

“As a result of the investigation, Officer McLean has been terminated from employment and disciplinary proceedings have been initiated with the supervisors for violating department policy,” Broadfoot said.

Broadfoot apologized for the departments “failure to respond to this situation appropriately,” and noted the incident was not treated seriously, which resulted in an “incomplete and faulty investigation.”

“I apologize to the Harper family for the loss of their pet and pledge to them that I will make changes in our operation to ensure that nothing like this happens again,” Broadfoot said.