Cisco Reporting Blames the Victim

Dear Editor,
    It is disappointing that the Chronicle chose to blame the victim in the Austin police officer shooting of Michael Paxton's dog Cisco [“The Cisco Story: More Than Meets the Social Media Eye,” News, April 27]. Questions arise about the officer in question and his history, as well as about APD Chief Art Acevedo's dissembling and distraction strategery (Karl Rove) to deflect criticism of the APD. Paxton's history has nothing to do with the shooting of Cisco. This is reminiscent of the Austin ISD superintendent's trashing of two University of Texas-affiliated researchers whose research didn't conform with the superintendent's own personal agenda.
    In addition, how can Acevedo apologize and then trash the victim here? Is the apology inoperative (Ron Ziegler/Richard Nixon) or is the trashing of Michael Paxton inoperative? And what about the dog? Any autopsy? Where is the dog buried? Was he cremated? Was there a funeral or memorial service? Inquiring minds want to know. Inquiring minds don't want to hear anymore Karl Rove/Lee Atwater strategery to trash the victim. There is absolutely no linkage between the shooting of Cisco (and the stupidity of the officer in going to the wrong house in the first place) and whatever troubles Paxton has. Regrettably, this is Austin American-Statesman-style reporting.

   [Editor's note: For the record, Officer Thomas Griffin did not go to the "wrong address." He arrived at the only address he had, as received from a 911 call which reported a man apparently assaulting a woman who was trying to get away. The caller did not distinguish between the "A, B, C" addresses of a triplex, reported the dispatcher, but said the man was "standing outside" at that address.]