Local
Gay cop says dog shooting was necessary
Caretaker, animal rescue group call for police investigation
Editor’s note: This story has been updated since it was posted as the Blade’s Lou Chibbaro Jr. received returned calls from sources he hadn’t heard from when he initially filed. The additions are in bold text. Subsequently some of the initial reader comments are addressed in the additions.
A gay D.C. police officer and a gay caretaker of a dog named Parrot have become involved in a highly emotional dispute following the officer’s decision to shoot the dog before dozens of bystanders at D.C.’s annual Adams Morgan Day festival on Sept. 12.
Dale Edwin Sanders, an attorney representing Officer Scott Fike, said extensive media coverage of the incident has failed to report that Fike is a dog lover assigned to the department’s canine unit and takes home each night one of the unit’s German Shepherds.
“He’s being portrayed as a monster by bloggers and it’s totally unfair,” Sanders said. “He’s the last person in the world to shoot a dog if it wasn’t absolutely necessary.”
But Dupont Circle resident Aaron Block, 25, who was caring for Parrot through a dog foster care program run by the local group Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, told the Washington Post that Fike shot and killed the dog without justification after Parrot and a poodle being walked by a woman got into a fight on the street.
Fike said he isn’t authorized to speak to the media and referred a reporter to Sanders for comment.The owner of the poodle, Adams Morgan resident Sheila Martins-Silva, could not be reached.
John Valentine, an attorney representing Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, said Block told him Fike took hold of Parrot after Block had already subdued the dog and had him under his control.
Block said Fike forcefully pressed the dog into the pavement with his knee then tossed Parrot into a stairwell before shooting him in the neck and killing him in the stairwell.
“There were dozens of people watching,” Block said. “I can tell you that if you ask any of them they will tell you this was so unnecessary. There was no reason for that police officer to shoot Parrot.”
Sanders points to a police account that Parrot locked his jaws on the poodle’s paw as Block and others who rushed to the scene tried to free the poodle from Parrot’s mouth. Sanders said Fike told him Block had not been able to regain control over Parrot and the dog – who has been identified as a Shar-pei-pit bull mix breed – posed a threat to the safety of nearby festival goers.
Sanders said Fike, who was on patrol duty at the Adams Morgan Festival at the time of the incident, reported what he described as a chaotic scene, with festival goers screaming and a young man later identified as Block on the ground with his hand inside Parrot’s mouth.
“There was blood all over the place,” Sanders quoted Fike as saying in describing Block’s hand and arm. Sanders said Fike’s immediate observation was that Parrot was not under control and that Bock was being injured and he and others in the crowd were in imminent danger.
At the time Fike arrived on the scene, the Poodle had already been disengaged from Parrot’s mouth and Fike initially didn’t know another dog was involved in the incident, Sanders said. All Fike saw upon his arrival was Block’s hand locked inside Parrot’s mouth.
It was at that time when Fike kneeled on the dog and pulled on his leash, enabling Block to free his hand from the dog’s mouth, Sanders said.
Block called that account “not even remotely true,” saying he freed his own hand from Parrot’s mouth. He said he scraped his own fingers and hand as he pulled open Parrot’s mouth to secure the release of the poodle’s paw. He said his injury “was not big deal” and he didn’t need medical attention.
Sanders said Fike claims Parrot bit him as he tried to subdue the dog. Fike threw the dog into the stairwell as part of a “conservative measure” to try to injure and subdue the animal without having to use lethal force, Sanders said. But Sanders recounted Fike’s claim that Parrot began to charge at Fike from the staircase, prompting Fike to shoot the dog to protect himself and others standing nearby.
“If Scott hadn’t done what he did that dog could have gone into the crowd and killed somebody,” Sanders said.
Block said he was looking in another direction when the confrontation between the two dogs started and he did not see which dog started what he called a fight between the dogs. Valentine said other witnesses on the scene reported that the poodle inflicted injuries on Parrot’s face and they were unclear as to which dog started the fight
The poodle’s owner has said she allowed her dog to walk over to Parrot while both dogs were on leashes and without any indication that the dogs would get into a fight, Valentine said.
Block said Parrot has no history of biting anyone and described the dog as gentle and friendly to people. Valentine and Block said many witnesses who have come forward have backed up Block’s version of what happened.
Block said he doesn’t believe Parrot bit Fike and believes the injury reported on Fike’s hand was likely caused by chaffing from Parrot’s leash.
Valentine notes that a police report refers to Fike’s hand injury as an “abrasion” rather than a dog bite.
Sanders calls that account “absolutely false,” saying a police evidence technician examined and photographed Fike’s wound and observed puncture marks, confirming it as a dog bite. He said a police official also alerted Fike that he may have to undergo rabies shots if an autopsy of Parrot tests positive for rabies.
In a development that alarmed Fike and police investigators, according to Sanders, officials with Lucky Dog Animal Rescue couldn’t immediately find records showing whether or not Parrot had been given rabies shots. Sanders said that Fike was also concerned that Block wasn’t using an appropriate dog leash for taking Parrot into an area crowded with people, noting that Block should have used a “looped” leash that can be pulled over a dog’s snout and is far better suited to control a dog.
Block said Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, for which he is a volunteer, had all the necessary records for Parrot, including Rabies immunization records.
Sanders said witnesses, including a local judge whom he did not identify, have come forward to support Fike’s version.
Sanders said that before leaving the scene of the incident, Fike responded to pleas for help by Martins-Silva, the owner of the injured poodle, by arranging for a police officer in a cruiser to take the poodle to an animal hospital in Northwest Washington, where the dog received emergency treatment.
He said police officials have put Fike on temporary administrative leave as the department’s Internal Affairs unit investigates the incident.
The dog shooting, which received national media coverage, took place on 18th Street, N.W., with hundreds of festival goers standing nearby and dozens watching in horror as the incident unfolded.
District of Columbia
JR.’s hosts meet & greet for mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George
Event organized by Capital Stonewall Democrats, Queers for Janeese
D.C. mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George spoke to a crowd of LGBTQ supporters on June 1 at a meet & greet event held at JR.’s on 17th Street in the Dupont Circle neighborhood.
The event, organized by Capital Stonewall Democrats, which has endorsed Lewis George for mayor, with support from a group called Queers for Janeese, was followed by a “get out the vote” canvassing endeavor in which several of those attending the meet & greet visited the homes of nearby residents known to be Lewis George supporters.
The purpose of the canvassing was to remind Lewis George supporters to return their mail-in ballots or go to the polls on June 16 to elect Lewis George as the city’s next mayor, according to Matthew Kavanagh, one of the leaders of Queers for Janeese who attended the meet & greet event at JR.’s.
Local political observers consider Lewis George, a Ward 4 D.C. Council member, and former At-Large D.C. Council member Kenyan McDuffie, to be the two leading candidates in this year’s race for mayor. The two are among seven mayoral candidates competing in the city’s June 16 Democratic primary.
Lewis George told those attending the meet & greet, which was held on the JR.’s outdoor patio, that she has a long record of advocating for and initiating city polices and laws in support of the LGBTQ community. She said large corporate donors were backing her opponents and urged her LGBTQ supporters to help raise funds for her in the remaining days of the campaign.
Among those attending the meet & greet was gay longtime Dupont Circle civic activist Randy Downs who last November opened a nearby eatery called Protest Pizza. “I am queer and I am a Janeese supporter,” Downs told the Blade.
Stevie McCarty, president of Capital Stonewall Democrats, who also spoke at the meet & greet event, said his group would organize events in support of Lewis George in the remaining days of the campaign. Among them, he said, was an LGBTQ bar crawl in which supporters of Lewis George, including the candidate herself, would visit LGBTQ bars to promote her candidacy.
Virginians for Marriage Equality on Monday launched a campaign in support of repealing Virginia’s constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman, former state Sen. Adam Ebbin, former state Del. Mark Sickles, and American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia Executive Director Mary Bauer are among those who spoke at the launch that took place in Richmond. State Del. Kirk McPike (D-Alexandria), who co-chairs the campaign, also participated.
“This amendment is about making clear that the government has no business deciding which marriages or which families are worthy of recognition,” said Bauer. “The ACLU of Virginia has been fighting for Virginians’ right to marry who they love since the landmark case, Loving v. Virginia, which struck down the ban on interracial marriage. Now we are proud to carry that legacy forward by standing with our coalition partners in the fight to pass this amendment and finally enshrine the right to marriage equality in the commonwealth’s constitution.”
Voters in 2006 approved the Marshall-Newman Amendment.
Same-sex couples have been able to legally marry in Virginia since 2014. Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who is a Republican, in 2024 signed a bill that codified marriage equality in state law.
Two successive legislatures must approve a proposed constitutional amendment before it can go to the ballot.
Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger in February signed a bill that finalized the referendum’s language.
The referendum will take place on Nov. 3.
Rehoboth Beach
CAMP Rehoboth’s new director shares plans for busy summer
Dr. Robin Brennan on joyful approach to leadership role
Dr. Robin Brennan, CAMP Rehoboth’s new executive director, has been getting adjusted to her role and connecting with the Rehoboth community.
In March of this year, Brennan took on the role of executive director of CAMP Rehoboth, an LGBTQ+ community center in Delaware working to Create A More Positive (CAMP) environment, following the retirement of Kim Leisey.
When asked about her first few months with CAMP, Brennan said that she’s “in the listening and learning phase.”
“The first few months have been overwhelmingly beautiful, with such warm wishes from so many really diverse groups,” said Brennan.
“The more time that I’ve been at CAMP, it’s almost like I have more questions and more admiration for the solid foundation that it has,” said Brennan. She explained that she is taking her time to listen and connect with the Rehoboth community during these crucial first months.
She spoke to the stressful nature of this work, saying, “This work takes a lot of resiliency, especially being in a front-facing position as executive director of an organization. There’s so much pressure on this to be successful.”
Brennan is no stranger to high-pressure work environments, having worked in the public health field during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brennan earned a doctorate in public health from Drexel University and has spent nearly two decades working in higher education, which she says greatly influences her approach to her work.
“I am always giving back to and mentoring students, that’s always been a part of who I am,” said Brennan. She said that the adaptability and flexibility she practiced during her time as a professor influences her work, noting, “I think that to be flexible is a key to success.”
Aside from her tenure in academia, Brennan has worked for nonprofits, including with organizations such as Redeemer Health and Nemours Children’s Health.
Leslie Ledogar, president of CAMP’s board of directors, said that Brennan’s joyful approach to this work made her stand out in the search for a new executive director.
“I think that I’ve always naturally been positive and joyful because if I don’t, I will burn out,” said Brennan.
For Brennan, honoring CAMP’s legacy remains a top priority in her role at CAMP. “For me, legacy is so critical, so I want to honor the legacy that this foundation was built on.”
When asked about DEI funding cuts by the Trump administration, Brennan shared how she is navigating an administration that is targeting organizations like CAMP.
“This administration doesn’t open doors for opportunities. As a nimble nonprofit organization, we have always had to be creative,” said Brennan.
She said that she “would never want CAMP Rehoboth to rely on federal dollars, regardless of what type of political administration we’re in. I think relying on any kind of dollars or funding is problematic.”
“We need to stay creative and innovative, not chase money, and also our ears need to be listening to what our community needs,” said Brennan.
As younger members of the LGBTQ+ community grow disheartened by the growing attacks on queer rights, Brennan shared her thought process behind helping younger members of the community.
“I think my number one thing is to listen to them, to ensure that they know their voice is valuable. That’s the most important thing before giving advice is to listen to their concerns, their needs, their fears, their struggles,” said Brennan.
“They may not be your struggles, but ultimately, as a human being, they’re all of our struggles.”
Brennan brought up PRISM, CAMP’s social group for young LGBTQ+ adults to gather in community and experience new activities with likeminded young adults. This group offers a safe space where members can form connections with one another to build a sense of belonging.
Throughout the interview, Brennan reiterated her admiration for CAMP and the community it has brought to Rehoboth for decades.
“There is no place like CAMP Rehoboth, and what it has done for Rehoboth or what it has done for countless individuals who see it as an escape and a place of freedom, visibility, belonging, and hope,” said Brennan.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Brennan said that she first visited Rehoboth in 1996 as a young gay person. “I felt at home. I could breathe,” said Brennan. She said that she has been a frequent visitor ever since and bought a house in town three years ago.
Brennan shared how happy she is to have her teenage daughter growing up with Rehoboth in her life. She said that her ideal day in Rehoboth involves going to the beach, trying new food, and enjoying time with her friends and family that live in the area.
As the summer season commences, Brennan shared that there is a plethora of upcoming events for members of the community to attend and enjoy.
Brennan highlighted the CAMP Women’s Golfing League, which is getting started on June 4 with tickets on sale now for CAMP Rehoboth members.
The CAMP Rehoboth Chorus is singing to honor the 250th anniversary of the U.S. on June 19 with tickets on sale now.
This year also marks the 35th anniversary of CAMP, which will be celebrated with Pride in the Courtyard on June 26.
Brennan was excited to promote CAMP’s new partnership with Beebe Healthcare starting this summer. The partnership is designed to expand access to patient-centered health services in downtown Rehoboth Beach.
“Relying on this partnership will be critical to the success of the health of our community,” said Brennan.
Brennan also talked about SUNFESTIVAL, which will be held during Labor Day weekend and will feature David Archuleta as the headliner.
Lastly, Brennan highlighted CAMP’s annual Block Party, which is held each October. “We shut down several streets, we have 100 vendors, and it’s a beautiful way for the whole community to come together to wrap up the summer,” said Brennan.
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