Did deputy who shot and killed a Raleigh family’s dog violate their rights?
A grieving Raleigh family has hired legal representation as they try to learn more about the circumstances that led to their dog’s death.
Zelda, an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois, was at the family home April 8 when she was shot and killed by a Wake County sheriff’s deputy serving a summons. The Sheriff’s Office said the dog bit the deputy, whose name has not been released.
No one was home when the deputy entered the house on Lord Berkley Road in east Raleigh off New Bern Avenue. Paige Briggs was out of town, her husband, Paul, was at work, and their four children were at school, according to attorneys Melissa Hill and Raymond Tarlton of Tharrington Smith, the firm representing the family,
“The Briggs family is devastated. They are grieving the loss of their treasured pet and family member,” the attorneys said in a statement.
Paul Briggs received a call from the Sheriff’s Office around mid-day after the incident. The deputy, who was serving a civil summons about a debt, was placed on administrative leave, according to the Sheriff’s Office, which has not said if the officer had a warrant to enter the home.
The Sheriff’s Office has said it can’t comment further while it investigates the incident.
The Briggs family’s rights were violated because a family home is “protected from intrusion by our Constitution unless there is a serious legal justification,” according to their attorneys. “It is a sacred place, a sanctuary.”
“There are serious civil rights violations here, including warrantless entry into a family’s home, multiple officers pouring though the home recording with their phones, and, of course, the senseless killing of an innocent and beloved pet,” the attorneys said.
In North Carolina, civil summonses are served by the sheriff. A summons is typically a court order notifying an individual of a lawsuit or other legal action that requires their appearance in court.
According to state law, officers serving a summons should mail a copy of the document to the defendant’s last known address or, within five days of the summons being issued, the officer can call the defendant to schedule an appointment for them to receive the summons or meet with the officer.
If those attempts are unsuccessful, the officer can make one home visit.
“He then shall deliver a copy of the summons together with a copy of the complaint to the defendant, or leave copies thereof at the defendant’s dwelling house or usual place of abode with some person of suitable age and discretion then residing therein,” the law states.
The law doesn’t say if officers can enter unoccupied homes to serve the complaint.
“We will pursue all available legal remedies for this egregious violation of privacy and property rights,” the attorneys said.
This story was originally published April 18, 2025 at 1:58 PM.