Robot Dog Shot In A Confrontation On Cape Cod

(PatriotPostNews.com) – During a recent standoff with a suspect, a robot dog used by the Massachusetts State Police was shot multiple times.

The law enforcement agency revealed that the shooting took place earlier in March on Cape Cod, marking the first time one of the robots had been shot while on the job. The incident has been lauded as an example of how newly developed technology can provide a safe alternative to manpower in certain situations.

The struck dog, called Roscoe, was sent into a home where 30-year-old Justin Moreira had barricaded himself. At the time, police explained that they were responding to a 911 call about someone being held at knifepoint. Moreira was still inside when SWAT arrived and occasionally shot at the vehicles and officers surrounding the home.

The state police later decided to send three robots into the building to locate the suspect. Roscoe reportedly cleared two floors and then found Moreira in the basement with a rifle. The suspect is said to have tried to stop the dog by knocking it over and shot it three times when the robot continued to follow him up the stairs.

Moreira missed striking another of the robot dogs that was outside the house, police said, and they arrested him after deploying tear gas into the building. Following the resolved incident, the Massachusetts State Police released a statement that emphasized the “benefits” of the robot dogs, which it said are “capable” of assisting police in “tactical missions involving armed suspects.”

The agency explained that Roscoe’s “room clearance” abilities were “critically important” and spared the police force from sending in “human operators” who may have been involved in a shootout. Moreira is estimated to have fired over 30 rounds of ammunition during the standoff. He later appeared in court for what his attorney described as “a very serious case.”

The police department first began using the robot dogs developed by Boston Dynamics in September 2019, testing the technology in real life situations. That year, one dog—called Spot—was part of the force’s bomb squad for 90 days.