The owner of a dog shot multiple times by a state trooper in Sullivan County in 2025 has filed a lawsuit against the state of New York, seeking $250,000 in damages.
“The state trooper who did this still roams around working in my area,” said Dammian Lopez, owner of the dog named Pumpkin, and a Wurtsboro resident. “And until any court stuff happens, it’s like his life remained the same, and me and my dog’s whole life was changed in seconds.”
The suit, filed on Dec. 11, 2025, in NYS Court of Claims, is against the state, and it names New York State Trooper Matthew Grant as the subject. Represented by Roth & Roth, LLP, attorneys, the claim alleges negligence, reckless discharge of a firearm, leading to seven shots, and intentional actions by Grant.
In its answer on Jan. 12, the state asserted several defenses and asked for a dismissal of the suit, though the case is currently ongoing.
New York State Police Troop F Public Information Officer Jennifer Alvarez said in a Jan. 27 email that the trooper was on patrol. On March 12, Alvarez said the shooting incident was still under review, but she could not comment on any pending litigation.
What happened in 2025 in the Town of Mamakating?
The incident occurred in Wurtsboro, a village located in the Town of Mamakating. On September 24, 2025, Pumpkin, a 3-year-old American Bully, was shot by the trooper in the driveway of the home of a resident, Lopez. After being struck, Pumpkin ran into the house and sat bleeding at her usual spot on the couch, said Lopez.
The approximately 20-second home security camera footage provided by Lopez shows the officer — who was conducting interviews for an unrelated investigation near Elm Road — ringing the bell at the house and stepping back to stand behind a parked vehicle in the yard. Then the door opens and Lopez and a friend appear; a dog is heard barking but not seen in the footage, followed by multiple shots, and Lopez shouting, “Oh my God.”
The state police said in a Sep. 28, 2025, statement that the trooper feared for his safety as the dog “exited the residence in an aggressive manner and charged toward the trooper.” The trooper was “backed into a corner with no viable cover or avenue of retreat,” the release noted.
The lawsuit alleges that the trooper’s firing of the gun in a residential driveway presented “an unreasonable risk of harm to multiple people and animals nearby, including Mr. Lopez — who was standing only a few feet away — his friend inside his home, the workers inside the house toward which Grant fired, individuals in the yard in the same direction of the gunfire, and even the dog inside the vehicle in Claimant’s driveway that Grant inadvertently shot.”
Lopez is legally blind. He said he was afraid of getting shot as he ran out.
The shooting lodged a bullet in a bone and Pumpkin’s front left leg had to be amputated.
What’s in the lawsuit?
The suit claims negligent hiring, negligent training, negligent supervision, infliction of emotional distress, and deprivation of the claimant’s common law and constitutional rights.
The claim alleges that state police did not exercise due diligence and investigate the trooper’s track record of past work with the NYPD. It states, “Grant’s NYPD record contained multiple complaints of misconduct and reckless behavior, which would have been discovered through a routine background check, had NYSP acted with reasonable care.”
It cites the availability of free training materials through the U.S. Department of Justice and other entities on how to safely interact with dogs, stating, “The State chose not to avail themselves of this free training, or any other free training on best practices for law enforcement on interacting with pet dogs.”
Elliot Shields, Lopez’s attorney from Roth & Roth, said the state does not require training for dog encounters.
“Hey, you don’t need to shoot a dog,” said Shields. “You have plenty of options available to you on your duty belt, like a baton and pepper spray, which are proven effective and recommended by basically every national best practices, like the LEDET (Law Enforcement Dog Encounter Training).”
Pumpkin has permanently lost normal function and is expected to suffer lifelong medical complications from her injuries, according to the filing. Lopez expects additional veterinary care and therapy bills, in addition to the approximately $9,000 he has already incurred.
A GoFundMe page to cover Pumpkin’s care had raised $9,025 as of noon on March 12.
The next step in the case is a conference, followed by the discovery process during which Shields anticipates receiving the bodycam footage of the incident.
He recently represented a couple whose dog was shot dead and the federal jury ruled that the Rochester police officer violated their Fourth Amendment rights while conducting a search without a warrant.
How is Pumpkin?
Pumpkin is a lover of the outdoors, said Lopez. She loves to go on long walks, but with one leg in the front, she gets tired easily. So lately she has spent more time lying around.
Lopez looked into getting her a walking aid, but they’re expensive.
Initially, Lopez was not comfortable when talking with a therapist, but now he is making another attempt.
“Every time I look at my dog, I have flashbacks,” Lopez said.
Contact reporter Vandana Saras at vsaras@usatodayco.com and @orangecountynyreporter on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Wurtsboro man files $250K lawsuit against NY after trooper shoots his dog
Reporting by Vandana Saras, Middletown Times Herald- Record / Times Herald-Record
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