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Former Thiensville Officer Under Criminal Probe After Shooting Two Dogs in Mequon

Video and records show repeated gunfire outside Mequon limits, triggering a sheriff’s office criminal review, local demands for new police animal‑handling rules.

Overview

  • A Thiensville officer shot two loose dogs after exiting his cruiser on April 23, killing one and injuring the other.
  • Mequon officers had earlier tried to capture the same dogs and planned to return with the Wisconsin Humane Society before the Thiensville officer engaged.
  • Body‑camera footage obtained by local media shows the officer fired 16 times, reloaded during the encounter, and told other officers he fired until the dogs were "no longer a threat."
  • Local reporting identified the officer as Richard McCormick, who resigned before an internal Thiensville probe concluded and is now the subject of a criminal investigation by the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office with no charges yet announced.
  • The surviving dog, nicknamed Ranger, is recovering at the Ozaukee County branch of the Wisconsin Humane Society and volunteers are pressing for clear police policies and training on nonlethal responses to stray animals.