Wichita Police Aimed To Shoot A Dog But Injured 9-Year-Old Girl Instead, Mother Files Case Against The Police

A 9-year-old girl was injured after a police officer from Wichita, Kansas, fired towards their family dog. The bullet remnants fractured the little girl who was at their home during the incident.

According to KWCH12, the police responded to a 911 call by Daniele Maples, who said they only called because her husband was threatening to hurt himself.

The Wichita Police Department said the call indicated there was a real threat as it was noted that the person in the report had a gun. Maples’ husband reportedly threated to shoot himself after choking the family dog. Maples and her four kids were at home when the incident happened.

The officers arrived at the scene and said that they received information that the handgun was located in a bedroom. The police report noted this is where the incident happened. The officer shot a bullet to target the dog who was, according to police statements, attacking them while they were trying to retrieve the gun. The bullet did not kill the dog, but the fragments injured both the dog and the kid.

“The officer pulled his service weapon and shot at the dog, missing it. The round struck the hard surface floor of the residence and broke into fragments. A piece of a fragment ricocheted, striking a 9-year-old girl in the forehead, just above her right eye. She was treated at a local hospital and released Saturday evening,” the report noted.

Maples’ husband was then recovered from the scene and was sent to a hospital to undergo a mental health examination.

The police officer who shot the bullet was new and had only been with the force for seven months. The officer is now on administrative leave as the investigation continues.

Daniele Maples and her lawyer continue to question the police training. She asked why an officer would shoot at a dog with children present. The mother of four said the purpose of the call was to keep her family safe, but that did not happen. She claimed that there are other ways the police could have responded in a way where nobody would get hurt.

At the same time, Maples claimed the officers barged into their house without requesting permission.

“I’m mortified because there were so many things that could have been done differently, but were not.”

Maples and their family attorney, Charlie O’Hara, are now seeking justice. O’Hara said the entire process was questionable. They would like to get a clear judgment to inform the police officers that they can’t get away with these kinds of acts.

The investigation is now being reviewed by the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.