North Las Vegas could settle fatal dog shooting for $145k
The North Las Vegas City Council is scheduled to vote this week on settling a civil rights lawsuit stemming from the 2012 fatal shooting of two dogs.
Council members will consider awarding Thomas Walker and Cathy Cataldo $145,000 for the shooting deaths of two pit bulls, Pinky and Blue. If approved Wednesday, it would be the second fatal dog shooting settlement for North Las Vegas since October.
“Taking all factors into account, it is the city attorney’s recommendation that this matter be settled as proposed in order to preserve public funds,” the North Las Vegas agenda item states.
On Sept. 14, 2012, North Las Vegas SWAT officers served a search warrant at Walker and Cataldo’s home near Carey Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard in Las Vegas. The lawsuit claimed the dogs were running toward the backyard, away from the officers, when they were shot.
Walker and Cataldo filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in 2014.
The lawsuit claims the officers, Travis Snyder and Paul Maalouf, violated Walker and Cataldo’s Fourth and 14th Amendment rights, with the fatal shootings constituting an unreasonable search and seizure of their property.
In court records, legal counsel for the officers argues the use of force was “reasonable and justified” because the officers had a reasonable fear for their safety or the safety of others.
In October, North Las Vegas paid more than $125,000 to a man whose dog was shot and killed in 2013 by then-Officer Travis Snyder. Plaintiffs in both cases were represented by Maggie McLetchie, who also serves as the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s outside legal counsel.
Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.
