OKLAHOMA CITY -- A search for a fugitive ends with bounty hunters shooting a dog and tasering a man... and it's all caught on camera. Fox 25's Kisha Henry spoke with the homeowners about what happened.
This isn't the first incident of its kind. In August of 2011, a family in Midwest City says they were held hostage by a group called the "Bounty Boys," who were looking for a fugitive in the wrong home. Tonight, another group of bounty hunters could soon see possible charges.
The cellphone video shows the homeowners open the door. They say the bounty hunters had already opened the screen door, so their dog, Buck, ran out into the yard. The video shows Buck running at one of the men barking. As the man starts to fall over, he points his gun at the dog and shoots. "You didn't have to shoot my dog!" shouts Roger, the homeowner.
"He was just menacing him, just barking at his feet, and his head was down and the guy just went 'boom' and shot him in the back of his head," says Theresa Hinkle, who lives in the home.
"He (expletive) killed Bucky!" shouts Roger.
Hinkle and Roger say the bounty hunters approached their home Friday morning in search of a man named Clifford, and pounded on the door. "They said, 'Roger, if you don't want to go to jail, open this door.' And, (Roger) thought they were police, so he opened the door, and as he opened the door, they had the screen door open, which is always supposed to be latched," says Theresa.
Theresa says the men did not identify themselves until after they used a taser on the homeowner.
"What the (expletive) is going on!" shouts Buck, distressed over his dog.
"You need to back up or I'm going to drop you," says the man carrying the camera. Shortly after, the taser went off.
"He was just laying on his face, shaking," says Theresa.
"That's illegal. We need to stop that kind of stuff," says Sen. Ralph Shortey, Oklahoma City- (R). He says there are currently no regulations on bounty hunters. He says they break state laws every day, and he plans to change that by regulating and licensing them with Senate Bil 1013. "When they are chasing someone in a car, that's stalking. When they enter someone's house without permission, that's breaking and entering. When they take someone into custody without having a bondsman's license, that's kidnapping," says Sen. Shortey. He notes the August 2011 incident with the group "The Bounty Boys." "They broke into somebody's house and held an entire family at bay for two hours. They basically held them hostage and nothing was done," says Shortey, referring to the fact that charges have still not been filed. "People should not have to worry about whether or not they're going to be held hostage by someone they think has the authority to do that," says Sen. Shortey.
"When he tased Roger, he came into the house and shut the door and waited for police, so I felt like I was being held hostage in my home by someone I don't know, who has no authority to do that," says Theresa.
"We need to create a process where, if someone does that, they will be held legally accountable," says Sen. Shortey. His bill will require four phases of CLEET training for bounty hunters, including a psychological test to carry a firearm. They would be trained just like law enforcement and would require a license to fulfill their duties. Their will also be rules-- such as, you cannot be a bounty hunter if you are a felon. So far, the bill has passed the Senate and now awaits a hearing in the House.
"I want no one else to go through this, ever," says Theresa. "Just don't open your door until you see an ID and a warrant through the peephole. Because you don't know who those people are," she adds.
The bail bonds agency, Ken Boyer Bail Bonds released this statement:
"When it is necessary to apprehend a fugitive, I contract with a licensed Private Investigative company that has years of experience, and I require them to audio and video record the entire arrest.
The Confidential informant told the Private Investigators that the fugitive was at the house.
We knew the man living at the house has had serious arrests for Burglary, Domestic Abuse by Strangulation and Drug Charges.
The man living there was hiding the criminal fugitive.
The Private Investigators knocked on the door for several minutes giving him plenty of time to put the dog in a bedroom before the resident opened the door.
The Private Investigators clearly stated that they were there for Bail Enforcement.
It is very unfortunate that the dog got out and charged the Investigator. The Investigator drew and fired his firearm at the very last possible second. He had no choice.
Oklahoma Private Investigators arrest thousand of Fugitives per year with very few incidents.
Thank you
Ken Boyer Bail Bonds."
