Treat dogs' attack as murder attempt

The police report said it was a simple case of vandalism. When all was said and done, the case should have been attempted murder of a police officer. And the crazy woman involved in this case should spend years behind bars.

It all started last weekend when police in Desloge, about 50 miles south of St. Louis, received a report of vandalism to a truck. Police officer Brandon Scherffius was assigned the task of investigating the incident. It soon became apparent that a neighbor was a possible suspect in the vandalism.

So the officer approached the woman's house and that's when the problems began. The woman became belligerent and verbally abusive so the officer began to make an arrest. But the woman broke free, ripped a screen door from its hinges and commanded two German shepherds to attack the officer. And attack they did.

The attack dogs chased the officer who was trapped inside a fence in the yard. He pulled his police revolver and shot at the dogs. One was wounded and the other unharmed. Police said the two canines were trained attack dogs.

Here's my point. I treat those attack dogs the same as I would had the woman pulled a gun. She was using the only weapon at her disposal in an attempt to harm a fellow human being. In this case, it just happened to be a police officer.

Police have filed assault charges against the woman. But I don't think that goes far enough.

I hope this crazed woman spends ample time behind bars. Assault on a police officer is a deadly serious crime. And regardless of the "weapon," the intent was the same.

The only fault I find in this entire episode is that the police officer aimed at the wrong target when he shot at the dogs. The right target was standing in the doorway, screaming at the top of her lungs and attempting murder. That should have been the target.