Celebrating the Knicks Cost This Family Their Dog—Now They're Suing the City

When Marie Marseille’s screams of joy echoed through her apartment during the New York Knicks’NBA Championship victory last month, her neighbor called the police for a welfare check. What started as a misunderstanding—mistaking celebration for crisis—ended in tragedy. During the encounter with officers, Marseille’s dog, a doodle named Jameson, was shot and killed. Now, Marseille and her partner Jeremiah Garcia are fighting back.

The family filed a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles on July 3, 2026, claiming the LAPD officer used excessive and unreasonable force against Jameson, constituting what they describe as unlawful seizure. They’re also pursuing a negligence claim. According to the officer’s account, Jameson charged at police after being ordered to stay under control—the standard defense in these situations. But for the family, that narrative doesn’t match the reality of what happened to their pet.

This case touches a nerve that’s been raw for years: the line between police authority and restraint, especially when a pet’s life hangs in the balance. Body camera footage was released and sparked calls from Mayor Karen Bass for a“thorough and transparent”investigation, while LAPD Chief McDonnell promised a multilevel examination of the incident. Those promises matter, but they don’t bring Jameson back.

The family is seeking an unspecified amount in damages and attorney’s fees—a reminder that some costs can’t be measured in dollars. What they’re really asking is whether an officer’s split-second decision should cost a family member its life, simply because a neighbor mistook joy for distress. That question doesn’t have an easy answer, but it’s one the city will now have to address in court.]