An incident last week involving the shooting of a dog by it’s owner, an attorney, has left some in the community unsettled. WROY/WRUL requested the report from Carmi PD after learning of the alleged incident. The official report says it was about 7:40pm Tuesday, September 26th when officers were called to an area near Jennifer Avenue and Lance Lane in the Edgewood subdivision in reference to a dog biting a child. Dispatch would further advise that someone had then shot the dog multiple times, yet it remained alive. Before officers arrived, dispatch again would advise that the dog was shot once more and was now dead. Carmi Animal Control also responded to the scene. Police say an 11-year-old boy was bitten on the arm while the dog’s owner, 52-year-old Rhonda Blades interacted with children holding the dog on a leash. The dog then allegedly ran after the child, but no additional injuries were sustained. Blades, the public defender of record for Wabash County, subsequently retrieved a firearm and shot the dog according to the report. Chief Jason Carter says the child received minor injuries and Blades told Carter the dog had never shown any aggression prior to the incident. There were multiple witnesses including Blades husband, a local judge. The report was sent on to States Attorney Denton Aud for review. WROY/WRUL News has been told Aud will forward the report on to a special prosecutor. No charges have been filed as of yet. Blades could face potential charges of Reckless Discharge of a Firearm and Cruelty to Animals.
Common sense
October 4, 2023 at 2:50 pmWhen have we valued the well being of a child over a dog.
Ricardo
October 5, 2023 at 12:38 pmWhen have we valued the well being of a child over a dog ? That’s really your question? Well, since noone else will speak up, except Emm, with their “well said”.. haHaHa, that’s just ignorant. How about forever, holy crap! If you don’t value a childs life over a dogs you need to reevaluate your life choices, children are our future . It’s a crying shame that any human would value a dog life over a child they should probably go find some traffic to go play in. SMH, ideals like this makes one wonder if there is any hope for humanity.
Emm
October 4, 2023 at 5:53 pmAgreed Common sense, well said.
Brandi
October 5, 2023 at 6:02 amWhen a dog bites no matter how serious the wound is that kid will b afraid of dogs. And a good dog owner will not give that dog a chance to do future or more damage. If u can’t trust an animal put it down. That’s how I feel. They done the right thing.
Terrywconner
October 5, 2023 at 9:37 amDog gone!!!!
Bob Midkiff
October 5, 2023 at 10:05 amSo, The attorney failed to control her dog, which was on a lead (but somehow managed to chase the child). I think failing to control a dog that then bites someone is a crime and as the attorney was well aware, one can be sued for damages. I am also quite sure that discrarging a firearm SEVERAL time within the city limits is also a crime. The report said the Owner shot the dog but later it says SOMEONE shot the dog; Who shot the dog the attorney or the Judge?? WHY would any rational and moderately intelligent person shoot their own dog?? WHY would they have to shoot the dog several times?? I am not saying the dog shouldn’t have been put down by a vet; that decision should be made based on the breed/age and temperment of the dog and it should be made after the shock and excitement has died down. This is an illegal and unnecessary act by persons who knew better! I am also quite sure that the attorney and Judge will not be charged or fined; This is CARMI after all! In a just world the firearm would be confiscated, the FOID card would be revoked and the individual would be banned from owning any thing larger than a gold fish. The the parent of the child who was bitten would sue the attorney and Judge for at least $500,000, and if any bystanders/witnesses were tramatised by the cruelty they were unwillingly exposed to, Those persons should also sue the attorney and Judge for at least $100,000 each!
Raven
October 5, 2023 at 8:24 pmI could not agree more
Jeff
October 6, 2023 at 8:40 amExactly!
Emm
October 5, 2023 at 3:40 pmPerhaps I misunderstood Common senses’s reply. Back in my day, a problem animal is put down and that was that.
I’ve experienced enough carnage from irresponsible pet owners to last a lifetime, ESPECIALLY here.
In no way shape or form did I say a dog’s life was more important than a child’s life.
Perhaps Common sense read the story as I did, meaning the need for a special prosecutor because of the parties involved and if the shooter should be charged. Say what?
I believe pet owners should be held responsible and sued to the hilt for viscous animals. Jail time doesn’t sound bad to me either.
I can’t count the times I’ve heard “my baby is harmless, he/she will just lick you to death.” Until my face is chewed off anyway!!!
There are many breeds of dogs illegal in other countries. I can guess this one, or come close no doubt.
Calm down Ricardo. Curious as to your attack on me and not the OP of the comment I replied too. Hmmm, I bet I know. 😉
CallitasIcit
October 5, 2023 at 8:05 pmWow, do none of y’all know how to read? I am only asking because, unless it’s me, I don’t think Ricardo was personally attacking anyone here. What he was referring to was specifically the comment first written that said and I quote “When have we valued the well being of a child over a dog.“
So, just a little bit of education as to “proper wording “ when you are writing something on a forum or place such as this because the comment that I have quoted in fact implies that the child’s value is lesser than the dog. So if it was intended to be taken the other way then it should have been written in a different way. Also, he was not attacking anyone he was only pointing out that you ma’am commented that it was well written and to that he was disagreeing because it in fact was not written well, it was actually confusing. To more than just him and furthermore I must ask point blank, “How many times have you had your face chewed off by a dog?” Honestly, that sounds horrible and I’m a**uming that you have had all day to prepare your comeback seeing as you must be the richest person in the white county area. One last thing there’s literally nothing to be curious about no one was picking on anyone in particular just the fact that for all the years I have been in the area the people there make me feel smarter just because of the dumb things that come out of your mouths. Wow, I agree as a dog owner, for many many years if my dog bit a child I would shoot it too. On the spot. Also, good for Rhonda, sure she should probably have to pay the consequences of discharging a firearm in the city but at least no one else got bitten and also condolences to Rhonda and her husband on the loss of their pet because contrary to everyone who knows best, including me and Ricardo that’s also gotta s*** to lose anyone part of the family. Y’all just can’t understand logical reasoning.
Common sense
October 5, 2023 at 8:37 pmIn no way should we value a animals life over a human beings. All though you go to prison for putting down a animal, and they have clinics all over this state to terminate babies. SAD
Cathy
October 5, 2023 at 11:20 pmI think the Dog should have been takin by Animal control and went by protocol. To be quite honest the child witnessing this animal being shot several times is probably going to traumatize the child more than the Dog bite did.
Gail
October 6, 2023 at 8:33 amWell I’m going to throw this out there if one especially one who knows better discharges a gun in city limits especially a residential area surrounded by kids their FOID would be taken and charged with unlawful use maybe even child endangerment the failure to control your animal the state police would then in turn forward to the state and as a lawyer go under a board review however I suspect she will find that her defense was the child was in grave danger the inclusion is that a brief interval before and after the local authorities are notified when reasonably possible the law loosely defines this the fine is 300 dollars and up to 90 days in jail according the code 9.12.001 essentialy it is a misdemeanor I’m certain both herself and her spouse as a judge is well aware still it was wreckless and disheartening and did place others at risk of injury and that law is quite more it Carrie’s a felony cla** 4 aggravated discharge 25 thousand dollar fine and 1 to 3 yrs confinement and it certainly can be applied to this case if so decided then unfortunately the laws don’t support public outrage just facts and yet laws are created by them.
Roger Cutchin
October 6, 2023 at 1:23 pmIf she had the sign a leash how did it chase anyone unless she lied about that. It was senseless tobgoninbthebhousevandcretrieveva small handgun and shoot any animal several times. Reckless control of a weapon. If that had been any plain citizen they would have been arrested, gun confiscated and food card removed.
Tim
October 7, 2023 at 12:58 pmI THINK IT SHOULD B INVESTIGATED 4 SURE,BUT THE LAW SHOULD B UPHELD NO MATTER THE PERSONS PROFFESION IN LIFE ,,,EQUALLY,LAW ENFORCEMENT,ATTORNEYS, JUDGES,TRASH MEN,OR A PERSON ON SSI,,,EQUALLY.THAT BEING SAID IF IT WAS MY CHILD ,DOG PROLLY WOULD HAVE BEEN TURNED OVER TO DOG CATCHER,NOT SHOOT A GUN IN FRONT OF CHILDREN,UNLESS LIFE OR DEATH,I WASNT THR SO DONT KNOW ALL DETAILS,BUT MY POINT IS THIS ,SAME LAW 4 ALL PPL!
unknown
October 9, 2023 at 6:57 amit was said the dog didn’t even draw blood, i don’t believe i dog should get by with biting a child, but for someone who resides under the law has no right to over kill an animal infront of children. because over kill is what it was, it could’ve been one and done. the child will remember that dog screaming in pain more than it biting her/him over a s***er that fell to the ground. if charges are not filed it shows the one sidedness of carmi and where a last name and connections can allow you to get out of consequences.
Holley
October 24, 2023 at 10:33 amThat is untrue that the dog didn’t even draw blood. The child’s bloody arm was washed off in MY KITCHEN SINK! That said, the dog owner’s actions were absolutely unacceptable! My children were the child witnesses!
Erik Tracy
October 10, 2023 at 1:28 pmThe fact the individual punitively shoots his own dog… Clearly demonstrates…
1. The dog was obviously subjected to prior violent treatment by his owner prior to this biting incident. Making the owner the primary cause of the dog bite.
2. The dog was a serious liability to the negligent owners part in the biting incident.
3. A dead dog tells no tales.
4. The dog can’t be observed acting in a vicious or predatory manner. If dead.
5 .in a civil trial the owner can claim innocence and deflect responsibility of negligent containment of a weaponized dog. Reducing potentially the civil award the family would seek for damages.
5.He potentially saved himself. Any paim and suffering judgements a jury might award…
Mrs. H
October 24, 2023 at 11:04 amThe bitten child is my nephew visiting me from out of state. Yes, he was bitten and traumatized. Nothing about the bite compared to the grousome screams of that poor dog and his owner shooting him in the neck until she was out of bullets… not killing the dog.
1st of all, the dog shouldn’t have been shot AT ALL…
2nd, if she would have even gone inside and simply told her husband the entire ordeal wouldn’t have happened. The Judge was just as shocked as all of us when shots were fired. She lost it and isn’t mentally stable in my opinion, based on what I saw.
3rd, Carmi 911 was called by my family because of the shots fired. PD took their sweet time and must not have even coded it cause they rolled in slow and without lights, hmmmm?? Thanks for giving me zero sense of security when we dial 911 for them to show up WAY after the fact.
Lastly, the dog was put down out of mercy since it was bleeding out in the front yard with its owner screaming like a crazy person and we could have walked to the PD in the time it took them to arrive. Her poor husband and son were screamed at like trash and told to shut up and get away, just leave me all
..Ive got this. Go inside. Over and over. He had no chanceto prevent this caise the dog was already full of holes by the time he even heard a word about the dog or anything! The dog bite was nothing compared to the animal cruelty we all witnessed. Had the woman waited long enough for us to a**ess the situation it would’ve been handled VERY differently. There is a lot more I could say but the person who put the dog down did it out of mercy and ended the horror of the event. So sad and unnecessary!
P.S. my nephew has physically recovered but not without a nasty infection and none of us will ever forget the sound of that dog screaming as his owner emptied a gun into its neck! I grew up in the country and I’ve had to put down a dog before… there’s a difference in killing the dog with a single shot to the back of the head to end its misery and just shooting it like a psychopath. I don’t have an issue with putting a dog down if it’s absolutely necessary but this was NOT that situation AT ALL….!
HH
October 26, 2023 at 12:49 pmGuy above thinks people are placing greater value on dogs life vs childs life. How about valuing both lives? Doesnt seem like either one had to die. Child was not seriously injured physically ……. perhaps psychologically after watching the dog crying in pain while being shot multiple times by its owner. ????