We noted on Tuesday how The Philadelphia Inquirer paid more attention to the shooting of a dog than the newspaper usually does when people are killed. Well, here they go again!
Who is Jacqueline Maguire, the FBI’s top agent in Philly facing scrutiny for fatally shooting a dog in Center City?
The head of Philadelphia’s FBI field office is facing an investigation after she shot and killed a pit bull outside a Center City apartment building Monday evening.
by Jeremy Roebuck | Ash Wednesday, February 22,2023 | 5:55 PM EST
The shooting of a pit bull by an off-duty FBI agent on a busy Center City street this week has sparked an uproar on social media and protests by animal rights activists outside the FBI’s offices on Arch Street.
The Inquirer gave us 687 words in the story, exclusive of the headline, subtitle, story byline, and not one but two photos of Jacqueline Maguire.
Here’s what we know about the incident, the agent involved, and what happens next:
Philadelphia police and the FBI have confirmed that an off-duty FBI agent shot “an aggressive dog” outside the Touraine apartment tower on the 1500 block of Spruce Street on Monday. But so far, they haven’t named the agent involved, citing FBI protocol that governs the bureau’s response whenever an agent is involved in a shooting.
Two sources familiar with the investigation identified the shooter as Jacqueline Maguire, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. The dog’s owner, Maria Esser, said her 7-year-old pit bull, Mia, died within moments of being shot.
So, neither the Philadelphia Police nor the FBI released Miss Maguire’s name, citing policy, but the Inky had to dig deep and find out from inside sources.
Naturally, the Police and FBI have procedures through which they have to go during their investigations.
Security cameras outside the apartment building captured footage of the shooting. And while police have not publicly released the video, one source who reviewed the tape described it to The Inquirer on Tuesday.
According to the source, who was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing probe, the video shows Maguire sitting on a bench with her small dog in her lap as a woman walking two other dogs passed by. One of the dogs — Mia — suddenly dragged her owner toward Maguire, snatched the small dog off the agent’s lap, and began aggressively shaking it, the source said.
Maguire threw herself into the fight and tried to separate the animals, eventually drawing her weapon and placing it directly against the pit bull’s hindquarters before firing, the source said.
The pit bull’s owner claimed that Agent Maguire’s use of force was a “reckless” disregard for safety, for the dog, and bystanders. I don’t know about you, but if I was trying to save my dog from a larger, attacking animal, I would call that, if accurately described, a reasonable use of force. Actually, from the description, which matched a statement by Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore, I would say that Maria Esser, the pit bull’s owner, could face charges for losing control of a dangerous animal.
(Miss Esser) and animal rights activists who gathered to protest Tuesday outside of the FBI’s offices on Arch Street are calling for Maguire to be held accountable.
Really? For defending her dog, and herself, from Miss Esser’s (allegedly) out of control dog?
In the meantime, Philly’s homicide total went from 62 Monday night to 63 Tuesday night, but there were no stories at all on that killing, in either the Inquirer’ website main page or specific crime page.
Yup, we know what’s more important to the Inky!