Dog Shot by LAPD During Knicks Celebration: Family Demands Accountability or Lawsuit

When Marie Marseille’s beloved 2-year-old poodle mix Jameson was shot and killed by LAPD officers responding to her apartment on Saturday, the incident was tragic enough on its own. But now, the family’s legal team is drawing a line in the sand—either the department takes what attorney Brett Greenfield calls“appropriate”action, or they’re going to court.

The circumstances that led to Jameson’s death remain the flash point of this whole ordeal. Law enforcement responded to a call about a woman screaming in her home after the Knicks won the NBA Championship. According to the LAPD’s account, Jameson charged at officers after Marie was ordered to restrain him, prompting them to open fire. But Greenfield isn’t buying it, and neither is the family. In his statement to media, he framed the encounter in stark terms:“I don’t know how you’re going to justify firing bullets into a dog, in such close proximity to its owner, where the shell casing land close to her feet, while you’re responding to the home of a lady who is home alone and simply celebrating her beloved Knicks and screaming on the phone to her family.”

The family’s position is clear—they want accountability and an admission from the LAPD that the shooting was unjustifiable. Greenfield has declined to specify exactly what“appropriate”means to him, but his message is unmistakable:“We play to win, it’s just that simple. We are not happy about this.”Notably, the family has indicated that money isn’t the primary driver here. This is about emotional loss and demanding the department own what happened.

There’s been some movement on the institutional side. Mayor Bass has called for a“thorough and transparent”investigation, and LAPD Chief McDonnell has promised a multilevel examination of the tragedy. Yet as of Tuesday, the officers involved hadn’t offered an apology to the family—a detail that hasn’t gone unnoticed.

What’s striking is the public response. Nearly $200,000 has been raised on GoFundMe, which will fund Jameson’s cremation and establish a nonprofit in his memory to help other canines in need. The family feels touched by the outpouring of support from the community and local officials. Still, money and sentiment don’t heal the wound of a life taken in circumstances that remain deeply contested. The family’s willingness to pursue litigation suggests this story is far from over—and that Greenfield and the Marseille family are ready to force the LAPD to reckon with what happened on the night of the Knicks celebration.