Justice 4 Duke

We will never stop fighting for Duke. But until we hear any further developments in this case, we're going to wind down this account.

Thank you for loving Duke and for fighting for the justice he deserves. He's sending you lots of licks and tail wags from up above.

Given the time that has passed and the lack of public transparency, it looks doubtful that Duke's killer will be held accountable in the least for his actions.

We are extremely disappointed and heartbroken that law enforcement has apparently decided not to press charges against a man who shot an innocent family pet five times in a public park.

Does this all mean that Duke was killed in vain? Or that justice will never be served?

Absolutely NOT! The sheer number of you who have shown up, raised your voices, signed the petition, and fought tirelessly for Duke shows that his death has made a lasting impact on this community and in the hearts of thousands of you. ❤️

THANK YOU for fighting for the best boy, Duke!

Duke is so dearly missed. ❤️

By his owners, his family, his many friends, his park buddies, and the thousands of people who never met him but believe his killing was a total injustice.

Duke is looking down on us all from heaven and wagging his tail in appreciation.

If you haven't signed yet, PLEASE go do so at the link in our bio.

And if you've already signed, send this post to a friend who's an animal lover so they can join in our fight.

Some background on this case:

On September 13, 2023, Duke (a family’s beloved German Shepard) was walking down the stairs after a trail hike with his owners in Percy Warner Park when he was shot five times at point blank range and killed in front of them by a man who claimed he "feared for his safety" citing only that the dog was "too close."

The shooter had encountered Duke twice before that morning.

The first time was when the owners passed him walking up the stairs to the White Trail while the owners and Duke were walking down.

Duke, as usual, stopped and sat as the owners paused to allow the shooter to pass. The man walked within 4 feet of them on the path, showing no anxiety or fear. He did not voice any concern or alter his path based on any fear of the dog.

The second contact the gunman had was when he saw a stranger pet a tired and panting Duke with a sweet temperament and a wagging tail.

Duke was a highly trained and obedient dog. Multiple eyewitness accounts directly state that Duke showed NO aggression toward the gunman.

If you're outraged by this incident, signing this petition helps show our power in numbers.

We MUST keep fighting for .

The facts 👇

It's illegal to have a weapon within a public park in Nashville, but a 2015 state law allows those with gun permits to carry guns within parks. State law overrides city ordinance.

It is also illegal to kill another person’s animal without their permission, unless you feel threatened by that animal.

The question is, does “being scared" of a dog constitute “feeling threatened”? Does having a fear of dogs make it legal for someone to shoot any dog they encounter?

We don’t think so. Do you agree?

If you're a witness, we ask you to PLEASE come forward and share your witness statement. This could make or break Duke's chances of securing justice.

Here's what you do:

➡️ Email your statement to the DA ([email protected]) and the Police ([email protected])

➡️ Make sure to include the subject line: DUKE WITNESS STATEMENT. Their emails have been flooded, so this is really important!

➡️ Then please call to confirm they have received it.
DA: (615)862-5500
West precinct: (615)862-7747

We have been waiting patiently for the wheels of justice to start turning. For action.

But it's been eight weeks since we lost Duke, and our community is still hurting more than ever.
Eight weeks that his family has had to wake up to an empty house
Eight weeks of people feeling scared to bring their dogs out to public parks
Eight weeks of being told there's an “ongoing investigation.”
Eight weeks of fear.
Eight weeks of loss.
Eight weeks with no repurcussions for the shooter.
Eight weeks of him continuing to have a gun.

When will there be action? When will there be justice?

Please share this post and continue to share the word about this case. There's one thing for sure: there will never be action if we don't keep fighting.

"Moses got it wrong.
There should have been 11 Commandments.
Thou shall not kill…a dog.
So for me and, I expect most in this city if forced to, I would choose dogs over guns.
Why?
A gun will never wait patiently for you by a door after a hard week or curl up at your feet you on a cold night.
And a gun will never stare into your eyes like only it knows how much worry can fit into the end of month."

— Will Maguire

Thanks to all of the wonderful people who have spoken up about their experience with Duke, we know that for his entire life he was nothing but obedient, playful, gentle, and sweet.

Think of how well you know your own dog. You know what their worst behaviors are. Maybe they chew furniture, roll in the mud and then shake in the house, or pull relentlessly on their leash.

You also know their limits. Would they ever growl or bare their teeth at another person? Would they ever be aggressive? Would they ever lunge at a person?

Based on all of these accounts from people who knew Duke, we know that he would NEVER do any of the above. And yet because the gunman claims that he feared Duke, he had the "right" to shoot him to death.

Do you think this is unjust and unlawful? Drop in the comments if you agree!

It’s been almost two months — and no legal action has been taken.

Duke was shot five times at point-blank range in a public park, and no legal action has been taken.

Duke has never shown aggression to ANYONE, and no legal action has been taken.

The shooter had two other uneventful encounters with Duke that morning, and no legal action has been taken.

We are shocked, devastated, and in disbelief. We have been violated in our own space.

We want justice.

Was it even legal for the shooter to have a gun in Percy Warner Park?

Part of the duties of a concealed carry permit requirement is that if a permit holder encounters "school children" while carrying, he is to put his/her weapon away and leave the area.

The gunman entered Percy Warner Park while it was busily congested with normal morning park inhabitants including adults, children, toddlers, and infants.

Based on the duties of a permit holder, he should have put his weapon away and left the area.

Instead, he chose to continue into the park with that dangerous and ultimately lethal potential.

We must continue fighting for . Share this post and share Duke's story.

If you're a witness, we ask you to PLEASE come forward and share your witness statement. This could make or break Duke's chances of securing justice.

Here's what you do:

➡️ Email your statement to the DA ([email protected]) and the Police ([email protected])

➡️ Make sure to include the subject line: DUKE WITNESS STATEMENT. Their emails have been flooded, so this is really important!

➡️ Then please call to confirm they have received it.
DA: (615)862-5500
West precinct: (615)862-7747

Let's dig into the necessary force requirement in self-defense ⬇️

When using self-defense as a legal defense in Tennessee, the amount of force used must have been necessary and proportionate to the threat posed by the attacker.

This means that if a person claims self-defense, they cannot use more force than was needed to defend themselves from harm.

Otherwise, it would constitute excessive force and could result in criminal liability for their actions.

Is a dog “getting too close” proportionate to five lethal gunshots?

It is clear that in this case, Duke was the victim, and the gunman was the aggressor.

Continue to share these posts. Keep talking about Duke. Keep calling local officials. The wheels of justice turn slowly, and we cannot give up!

According to witnesses, the gunman and Duke had prior contact two times that morning before the shooting.

The first is when the owners encountered the gunman walking up the stairs to the White Trail while the owners and Duke were walking down.

Duke, as usual, stopped and sat as the owners paused to allow the shooter to pass. The man walked within 4 feet of them on the path, showing no anxiety or fear. He did not voice any concern or alter his path based on any fear of the dog.

The second contact the gunman had was when he saw a stranger pet a tired and panting Duke with a sweet temperament and a wagging tail.

Both of these prior interactions could only lessen any reasonable belief that there would be any perceived imminent threat from Duke later. The gunman clearly fails the reasonable belief requirement for self-defense.

If Duke takes no action against a person, and is only in transit past them with no other interaction, it isn't reasonable to consider that an imminent threat exists. It isn't reasonable for the gunman to shoot Duke five times.

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

Here's what you can do to secure ⬇️

1️⃣ Keep calling the DA's office and Nashville PD

District Attorney Glen Funk:

📞 (615)862-5500
📧 [email protected]

Metro Nashville Police Dept. - West Precinct

📞 (615)862-7747

2️⃣ Keep asking for witness statements

If you witnessed Duke's killing at Percy Warner Park on September 13, here's what you need to do ⬇️

➡️ Email your statement to the DA ([email protected]) and the Police ([email protected])

➡️ Make sure to include the subject line: DUKE WITNESS STATEMENT. Their emails have been flooded, so this is really important!

➡️ Then please call to confirm they have received it.
DA: (615)862-5500
West precinct: (615)862-7747

3️⃣ Keep spreading the word

Even if you are not a witness, please share this post so that as many people see it as possible. We know there are more witnesses out there, we just need to reach them!

Is feeling scared enough to claim self-defense? Let's discuss ⬇️

Here are some LEGAL FACTS about what is needed to claim self-defense:

▶️ If someone is claiming self-defense, they cannot be the initial aggressor. They can only act in defense of themselves or others.
▶️ The force the person uses (in this case shooting a gun five times) must be EQUAL to and PROPORTIONATE to the threat.
▶️ If someone use deadly force in self-defense, there must be a legitimate fear of imminent severe bodily injury or death.
▶️ That belief of imminent severe bodily injury or death has to be real and based on reasonable grounds.

If someone uses deadly force in an unreasonable or unjustified manner, they can be charged with crimes ranging from assault, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, or even some degree of homicide.

In Duke's case, the shooter sought no alternative to de-escalate or flee from the alleged threat. He just shot Duke five times, killing him with the first shot.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, he failed to use proportionate force against this threat.

Even if the shooter felt scared of Duke, he was REQUIRED to look for alternatives rather than resorting immediately to lethal force.

We know that is not what happened.

But unfortunately, this case cannot be prosecuted unless an eyewitness can testify that they saw Duke's actions leading up to the moment that he was shot. The DA needs to know if Duke showed any level of threat or aggression toward the shooter.

If you witnessed Duke's killing at Percy Warner Park on September 13, here's what you need to do ⬇️

➡️ Email your statement to the DA ([email protected]) and the Police ([email protected])

➡️ Make sure to include the subject line: DUKE WITNESS STATEMENT. Their emails have been flooded, so this is really important!

➡️ Then please call to confirm they have received it.
DA: (615)862-5500
West precinct: (615)862-7747

Parks should be a safe space for *everyone.* They are a public asset, owned equally by us all.

And the fact that so many of us are now afraid to go back to Percy Warner Park with our dog shows that our collective ownership of this beautiful space has been thwarted.

One person with a gun was all it took to undermine our trust. And rather than address the issue head-on, our city's law enforcement has allowed it to deteriorate further.

Fighting for is about ensuring safety for dogs all over Nashville just as much as it is fighting for protecting the safety of our public parks.

Gentle.
Incredibly well-trained.
Well-mannered.
Amazing.
Calm.
Sweet.
Beautiful.

These are just some of the words that the people who knew Duke have used to describe him.

Does this sound like the type of dog that would incite fear? Does it sound like a dog that required a man to fire five gun shots in order to “protect” himself?

Duke isn’t here to defend himself.

It's up to us to do it for him, and ensure that no dog or dog owner experiences this ever again.

How has Duke's shooting affected you?

Have you stopped taking your dog to public parks?

Have you feared taking your dog out in public?

Have you found yourself distrusting strangers you encounter with your dog?

In her interview with NPR, noted that she's seen fewer dogs in parks since Duke was killed.

If the only outcome of this shooting is that fewer people feel safe taking their dogs to our public parks, then our public safety system has failed us.

Percy Warner Park has not been the same since September 13.

Duke's killing has shaken our city to its core and undermined our trust in the safety of public spaces.

Duke was shot five times at point blank range on the steps of Percy Warner, and still no charges have been filed.

But his death does not have to be in vain.

Here's what you can do ⬇️

1️⃣ Keep calling the DA's office and your local representatives

District Attorney Glen Funk:

📞 (615)862-5500
📧 [email protected]

Metro Nashville Police Dept. - West Precinct

📞 (615)862-7747

2️⃣ Keep asking for witness statements

If you witnessed Duke's killing at Percy Warner Park on September 13, here's what you need to do ⬇️

➡️ Email your statement to the DA ([email protected]) and the Police ([email protected])

➡️ Make sure to include the subject line: DUKE WITNESS STATEMENT. Their emails have been flooded, so this is really important!

➡️ Then please call to confirm they have received it.
DA: (615)862-5500
West precinct: (615)862-7747

3️⃣ Keep spreading the word

Even if you are not a witness, please share this post so that as many people see it as possible. We know there are more witnesses out there, we just need to reach them!

We cannot emphasize enough how important this is.

We've heard from the DA that in order to prosecute this case, they need to hear from eyewitnesses who saw Duke get shot.

Even if you were not an eyewitness, you can help us achieve by SHARING this post.

▶️ Share it to your story
▶️ Send it to people who frequent Percy Warner Park
▶️ Send it to friends and ask THEM to share it as well

The more people we reach the better the chances that an eyewitness will see this.

THANK YOU for continuing to fight for Duke!

Help us get the petition to 20,000 signatures!!

▶️ If you haven't yet, please SIGN it at the link in our bio.
▶️ If you've already signed it, SHARE this post with three animal lovers in your life and ask them to sign too!

We must not give up on getting !

And we're not stopping. Can we get it to 25k?!

We are STILL waiting on law enforcement to investigate this killing and bring . It has been THREE WEEKS, and no action has been taken toward justice.

THANK YOU to everyone who has signed the petition. We ask that you continue to spread the word and ask your friends, family members, and colleagues to sign as well.

Let's show the world that we do not tolerate this act of violence against an innocent animal in a public space!

It's been one month since Duke was killed at Percy Warner Park in Nashville.

It's been one month, and there have been no arrests and no official investigation.

But there HAS been an incredible outpouring of support from this community. There has been over 16,000 people who signed our petition. We overwhelmed the phone lines at the DA's office!

This is going to be a tough fight. We ask you to stay with it, and keep advocating for .

When we go silent, so goes this case.

What we need now more than ever is witness testimonies from people who saw Duke get shot that day. The DA's office needs more eye witnesses in order to nove forward with the case.

SHARE this post! Someone who was at the park that day might follow you and be spurred to take action.

If you were a witness, here's what you should do:

➡️ Email your statement to the DA ([email protected]) and the Police ([email protected])

➡️ Make sure to include the subject line: DUKE WITNESS STATEMENT. Their emails have been flooded, so this is really important!

➡️ Then please call to confirm they have received it.
DA: (615)862-5500
West precinct: (615)862-7747

THANK YOU for continuing to fight for Duke!

Think about it 👇

• The gunman entered Percy Warner Park with a loaded, concealed carried weapon in the middle of the morning with adults, families, children, infants and other dogs present, both leashed and non-leashed. By his own statement, he entered that park with a known fear of dogs.

• The gunman intentionally discharged a firearm in extremely close proximity to other adults, children, and infants.

• When Duke was passing by him, they were both on a stone walkway. He opened fire and shot five times. Any of those bullets could have ricocheted off of the stone, and likely did.

• It's pure luck that none of those ricocheted bullets injured or killed another human or dog close by. One witness was no more than 10 feet away. The gunman is held to a duty as a gun carrier when he discharges a weapon that it does not endanger or injure others.

Do you believe this qualifies as an irresponsible discharge of a firearm and reckless endangerment of human life?

Then please call the police, and let your voice be heard!

Metro Nashville Police Dept. - West Precinct

📞 (615)862-7747

🗣️ WE NEED EYE WITNESS STATEMENTS!

People calling into the DA were told that they need to hear what happened from more people who were at Percy Warner Park when Duke was shot and killed in order to progress with this case.

Even if you are not a witness, please share this post so that as many people see it as possible. We know there are more witnesses out there, we just need to reach them!

If you witnessed Duke's killing at Percy Warner Park on September 13, here's what you need to do ⬇️

➡️ Email your statement to the DA ([email protected]) and the Police ([email protected])

➡️ Make sure to include the subject line: DUKE WITNESS STATEMENT. Their emails have been flooded, so this is really important!

➡️ Then please call to confirm they have received it.
DA: (615)862-5500
West precinct: (615)862-7747

Open letter to :

We are asking for only one thing: that you conduct a full, methodical, unbiased, and transparent investigation into Duke's killing at Percy Warner Park.

This means that you should allow time to collect new information in the case as witnesses come forward.

This means that ALL facts of the case should be considered.

This means that there is no bias toward gun rights over the life of an innocent dog.

This means that the focus is on the case, and not on a political agenda.

We know that gun rights are an extremely fraught topic in our country and in Tennessee. We don't want to have a debate over gun rights. We want there to be justice in the case of Duke, who was killed without reason, in a public park, in front of his owners.

Will you help us ensure that there is a full investigation?



🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻

District Attorney Glen Funk:

📞 (615)862-5500
📧 [email protected]

Metro Nashville Police Dept. - West Precinct

📞 (615)862-7747

Belle Meade Police Dept
📞 (615)297-0241

Mayor Freddie O’Connel

📞 (615)862-5000

Senator Heidi Campbell

📞(615)741-6679

*****
This account is about bringing , not about bringing attention to the gunman or Duke's family members. We want law enforcement to do their jobs, not vigilantes to do it for them.

Thank you to everyone who has shown their support and love for Duke over the past couple of weeks.

We are showing the world that what happened to Duke cannot be tolerated, accepted, or forgotten. Justice must be served, and we still need your help to make it happen.

Your daily calls and messages to law enforcement, the DA, and your public representatives have been making a HUGE difference. But we can't stop now.



🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻

District Attorney Glen Funk:

📞 (615)862-5500
📧 [email protected]

Metro Nashville Police Dept. - West Precinct

📞 (615)862-7747

Belle Meade Police Dept
📞 (615)297-0241

Mayor Freddie O’Connel

📞 (615)862-5000

Senator Heidi Campbell

📞(615)741-6679

*****
This account is about bringing , not about bringing attention to the gunman or Duke's family members. We want law enforcement to do their jobs, not vigilantes to do it for them.

Duke, a beloved German Shepherd, was walking down the stairs of Percy Warner Park after a trail hike with his owners when he was shot five times at point blank range and killed in front of them. The man who killed him claimed he "feared for his safety" citing only that the dog was "too close."

The dog showed absolutely no aggression toward the shooter, according to multiple eyewitness accounts. The District Attorney's Office is looking into the case, but so far no charges have been brought.

Our only goal at is to share the FACTS of what occurred, and to advocate that justice be served. This killing was utterly senseless, but the state's response does not have to be.

Here are some of the FACTS:

➡️ For the shooter to have acted in self-defense, he would have had to be (or believed to be) in imminent danger. Duke showed no aggression toward the shooter and was under command of e-collar.

It's been over two weeks since the shooting took place and the shooter has yet to face any charges. We need your help to make sure the police and DA do their job to bring and begin the difficult discussions of how we can do better in this as a park, community, state, and nation going forward so more dogs and humans can live and interact in peace and safety.

🔻🔻🔻

Please take action and join us in the fight for .

1️⃣ Sign the petition “Justice for the Innocent German Shepard Brutally Shot at Percy Warner Park” - LINK IN BIO!

2️⃣ Contact your government officials, voice your outrage and demand they do their jobs and fully investigate this incident and apply the full force of the law.

District Attorney Glen Funk:

📞 (615)862-5500
📧 [email protected]

Metro Nashville Police Dept. - West Precinct

📞 (615)862-7747

Whether you use this exact script or change it a bit to fit your voice and style, we are GRATEFUL to you for advocating for Duke.

We've been told that the DA is looking into the incident, but progress has been slow beyond that.

We must fight for justice to be served. PLEASE continue to call the DA and let your voice be heard. Getting depends on it!

Your action items:

1️⃣ Call the DA's office and ask that they conduct a full investigation into Duke's killing.
2️⃣ SHARE this post to your story!
3️⃣ If you know anyone who was at Percy Warner Park that day, ask them to share their witness testimony with the DA's office AND the West Police Precinct.

THANK YOU for continuing to fight for Duke.