Support Justice for Gizmo - 17lb dog brutally shot to death by Cumberland Co Deputy

By Nancy McCleary
Staff writer

HOPE MILLS NC - A Hope Mills woman said she wants justice for her small dog who was kicked and then fatally shot by a Cumberland County deputy earlier this week.

"I do want to pursue something," 20-year-old Dana Anderson said. "I don't want to do it for money. I just want to do it for him (her dog)."

Gizmo, a 17.6-pound Pekingese-dachshund mix, was shot Wednesday by Deputy Barbara Siau, a nine-year veteran who works in the Child Support Enforcement division, said Debbie Tanna, spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office.

The department's Internal Affairs is investigating the shooting, Tanna said Friday.

Siau was looking for Anderson's brother when she came to the home on the 5600 block of Annadale Drive in the Colonial Heights neighborhood, Anderson said.

When she went outside to speak with Siau, Anderson said Gizmo followed her.

The dog has no history of biting, Anderson said, but Gizmo began running toward the deputy and barking.

Anderson said she told the deputy the dog would not bite.

Siau kicked Gizmo in the head, Anderson said, which antagonized the dog.

"I was in the process of getting him," Anderson said, "if she would have given me 10 seconds."

Anderson said she heard the shot.

"There was no warning whatsoever," she said. "I heard a 'pop,' and when I looked up, I said, 'You shot my dog.' "

Gizmo still was moving, Anderson said, but fell on the ground.

"It didn't really dawn on me until I walked over to him and saw blood coming out of his head," Anderson said.

"He was wagging his tail as he was dying."

Siau then got into her patrol car and notified the Sheriff's Office, Anderson said.

Siau then showed Anderson the leg of her uniform pants, which had two small holes in them.

"They looked like if you get snagged on something," Anderson said.

However, she said that when other deputies arrived, they would not let her take pictures of Siau's pants and made her wait two hours before she could take Gizmo and bury him.

Anderson said she was told that there were no marks of any kind on Siau's leg.

Anderson rescued Gizmo about five years ago when he was a puppy. A relative had locked the dog in a building with no food or water, Anderson said.

Gizmo was a constant companion for Prada, the pit bull she and her fiancee, Stephen Jackson, 27, adopted.

The loss is even harder after the couple had to have their cat, who had feline leukemia, euthanized last week.

The cat and Gizmo are buried at the home of Anderson's grandmother.

Anderson and Jackson have notified animal advocate groups about the incident and are considering legal action on behalf of Gizmo.

"He didn't deserve to die the way he died," Anderson said.

Staff writer Nancy McCleary can be reached at mcclearyn@fayobserver.com or 486-3568.