A Henderson police officer fatally shot a family's 8-year-old black Lab mix named Rocky on Oct. 2, and the family's attorney says the officer ignored state training on dog encounters.

The shooting, first reported by News 3 (KSNV), happened near Arroyo Grande Boulevard and Santiago Drive. Carl Arnold, the family's attorney, told News 3 that surveillance video shows the officer began running after exiting his patrol car. A training video series from the Nevada Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) instructs officers never to run from dogs, warning that dogs may chase or bite people who move quickly, according to News 3's review of the material.

"The first thing that they say is, 'Do not run,'" Arnold said. "As soon as that officer had exited from his vehicle, he started to run."

The shooting capped a response that stretched more than three hours in the neighborhood, according to an incident report reviewed by News 3. Henderson police received three calls about two loose dogs before the fatal shot. The first call came in at 6:13 p.m., with a caller reporting two dogs had charged him in his open garage. A second caller more than an hour later reported dogs growling and barking near Arroyo Grande and Santiago, "possibly scared," the report stated.

A woman later coaxed the dogs into her car with a cheeseburger and called 311 for help before 9 p.m., according to the report. Officer G. Mendez-Gonzalez arrived around 9:10 p.m. and requested Animal Protection Services (APS). After the dogs jumped out of the woman's vehicle, the officer used pepper spray, causing them to run. He followed in his patrol car.

At 9:34 p.m., investigators reviewing body-camera footage noted the dogs chased the officer as he backed around his vehicle and sprayed them again, News 3 reported. He drew his handgun and fired one round, killing Rocky. The family's other dog, Bear, survived.

The Henderson Police Department said in a statement that the officer "repeatedly attempted to create distance as the dogs aggressively advanced toward him and deployed OC spray in an effort to deter them." The department said the officer fired "to protect himself and the community."

Arnold argued the officer had other options. He said the POST training suggests using a barrier, a flashlight or a car door to fend off dogs. Arnold also questioned why the officer did not wait for animal control to arrive.

The department declined to comment further, citing an ongoing administrative investigation. Police confirmed APS was contacted the night of the shooting. A city spokesperson said Henderson police handle animal-related calls when APS is outside its operating hours, listed on the city's website as Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Officers can request an APS supervisor callout if approved by supervisors from both departments, the spokesperson said. Whether that callout process was invoked on Oct. 2 has not been disclosed.

The Oct. 2 shooting is not the first time a Henderson officer has fatally shot a family dog. News 3 reported in February that the department had not consistently tracked state-required dog-encounter training, a gap identified after a separate fatal shooting of a dog during a wellness check. Deputy Chief Matt Murnane told News 3 at the time that all officers were then required to watch a POST training video, with signed rosters to confirm completion.

Arnold said he has not received the officer's individual training records. News 3 reported it has also requested those records and the officer's use-of-force history.

The administrative investigation into the Oct. 2 shooting remains open.