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Tuesday, October 2, 2007
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'This was just an unfortunate situation' Sheriff apologizes for deputy's shooting of dog Staff Writer GARRISON - Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl can't bring back Jason and Jennifer Stiernagle's dog that was shot by a deputy Thursday who was investigating the robbery of a bank in Garrison.
But he's hoping a check for two new dogs will help.
On Monday, Dahl presented Jennifer Stiernagle with a $445 check donated from American National Bank. The check was the amount the Stiernagle's paid for two dogs on Sunday.
"We're certainly sorry for your loss and we hope this will help you move forward with the healing process," Dahl told Jennifer Stiernagle on Monday afternoon at her home. "Certainly we don't want to see our pets harmed in any way. This was just an unfortunate situation."
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Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl presented Jennifer Stiernagle a check Monday afternoon to help fund the purchase of two dogs after her border collie/Lab was shot and killed last week by a sheriff's deputy who was investigating an armed robbery. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
» Purchase reprints of this photo.
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Dahl had planned on buying the Stiernagles a dog, but learned that on Sunday the family had purchased two new dogs - a 3-year-old Rottweiler and a 6-month-old collie/retriever. Instead, after discussing the issue with Tom Johnson of American National Bank, he presented the Stiernagles with a check for the cost of the dogs.
"It's very nice they apologized," Jennifer Stiernagle said. "One of the things we really wanted was an apology."
Crow Wing County sheriff's deputies went to the Stiernagle home Thursday because the Stiernagles own a vehicle that matched the description of a car used in an armed robbery of the First National Bank of Deerwood in Garrison.
While deputies searched the Stiernagle property, Deputy Josh Carter shot the Stiernagle's border collie/Lab mix, Eddie. The sheriff's department said the dog showed aggressive behavior. Jennifer Stiernagle said Eddie wasn't aggressive, and though her dog had walked toward Carter, the two were separated by an invisible fence. Stiernagle was about 10 feet away from Eddie and her 2-year-old son, Derrick, was on the home's outside deck when the shooting took place.
Dahl said there would be no disciplinary action against Carter at this time.
"It was a judgment call that had to be made at that time," Dahl said. "Law enforcement officers make those judgment calls every day. This was an unfortunate situation."
Dahl said investigators are still searching for the man who robbed the bank. The man was armed with a handgun and robbed the teller at the First National Bank of Deerwood in Garrison of $2,800. No one was injured in the robbery.
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Jennifer Stiernagle broke into tears while discussing her border collie/Lab, Eddie, who was shot and killed by a Crow Wing County sheriff's deputy. The deputy was investigating an armed robbery of a Garrison bank. Stiernagle said her dog's death has been difficult on her family. She said her family considers their dogs their children. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
» Purchase reprints of this photo.
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The suspect is described as a white male about 6 feet tall with a salt-and-pepper-colored goatee. During the robbery, he was wearing a blue Columbia-style jacket and a Twins baseball cap. He drove away in a silver or gray four-door Toyota Camry that had been parked about a block away from the bank. A witness reported seeing a "J" on the Camry's license plate.
The public is asked to call the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Department at (218) 829-4749 or the Minneapolis FBI at (612) 376-3200 if they have any information about the armed robbery.
MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857
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