chases dog killers

Retired Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell Pursues Dog Killers

This is a sad story. Without question, the people that did it should be punished.  I’m surprised, however, that Mr. Luttrell didn’t go to jail as well. Let me get this straight…Mr. Luttrell chased some guys through four counties at speeds of over 100mph, because someone shot his dog? As he said, “That’s murder in my book.” Well I’m sorry, but Mr. Luttrell’s book isn’t the law. What if he caused an accident and killed a family (you know…wife, kids, etc.)? Then when questioned as to why he was chasing people at extreme speed so far from his home, he said “because they killed my dog”. He would be guilty of murder, probably manslaughter at the very least.

Does the fact that he is a returning injured military veteran give him special rights to do stuff like this? Hell no it doesn’t. He is NOT a police officer and has NO authority to chase anyone. If I was the police officer on the scene I would have arrested Mr. Luttrell too.

I do not dispute his right to defend himself and his property, but that is not what he did. He left his property. He chased some thugs over four counties at over 100mph by his own admission, all because “they shot his dog”. Are the thugs guilty? Hell yes they are, and should have the book thrown at them.

Many people are speaking out in support of him, because he is a returning vet that went through hell in Afghanistan, and we should support our veterans. Does that give him a right to run rampant through the countryside taking the law into his own hands? No. If these thugs had kidnapped a family member, lets say his mother, or possibly a sister or daughter, would it then be acceptable to endanger the community while pursing them? Yes, because a human life was in danger. But that is not the case. The fact is, he gave dangerous pursuit of these criminals all because “they shot his dog”.

Now let me ask you this, is the life of your husband, wife, or child, worth the life of a dog? Of course it isn’t. But the people who unconditionally support this guy for his behavior would have you think it was.  The reasoning is again that he is a returning vet and a hero, and that we should support him. Now put the fact that he is a returning war veteran out of your mind, that is irrelevant to this. Now ask yourself this: If he caused an accident that killed your family member, be that your husband, wife, kid, etc., how would you feel about his pursuit of these criminals then?

I feel he broke the law just as much as the criminals in this instance that shot his dog, and at the very least should be given a severe citation for it. I understand how I may be coming across as a jerk, and I’m sorry. I’m just pointing out common sense and rule of law which is the very thing that he fought for in Afghanistan. I have utmost respect for members of our military. I thank Mr. Luttrell wholeheartedly for his service. I’m extremely conservative in my political views. I have no compassion what-so-ever for the guys that killed the dog. I have the greatest respect for Mr. Luttrell and support his right to shoot the bastards that did it if they were on his property. However, I cannot support his actions once he left his property. With all things considered this is what we have: We have a private citizen that engaged in a dangerous, high speed pursuit of people, over four counties, because they killed his dog.

Common sense is all I am asking for people. Lets put things into perspective. At the end of the day, despite what the dog’s name was, how Mr. Luttrell came to own the dog, or what Mr. Luttrell has done in the past, Mr. Luttrell displayed reckless behavior in the pursuit of criminals, who at most were guilty of cruelty to animals and maybe guilty of unlawful discharge of a firearm.

UPDATE 4-08-2008: A video that has part of Luttrell’s 911 call as he is chasing the individuals who he claims shot his dog. It find it interesting that the dispatcher has the same reaction that I did, at :40 seconds in the video she says “You’re chasing them because they shot your dog?” and then at 1:15 she tells him not to speed…