Violent SWAT raid leaves St. Paul family traumatized, two pets shot dead

Mello and Laylo, both killed by the St. Paul SWAT. 

(Source: KMSP)

ST. PAUL, MN — A SWAT team left a family traumatized and mourning the loss of two beloved family pets that were abruptly gunned down in their living room during a surprise morning raid.  

In the wake of their devastation, police walked away with enough evidence to issue a $200 ticket.

At approximately 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 9th, the home of Camille Perry and Larry Lee Arman was breached with a battering ram, and strange men charged in with rifles and opened fire on their pets.

Larry Lee Arman demonstrates where he was during the raid. 

(Source: KMSP)

Mr. Arman, owner of a towing business, says he was laying asleep when he heard the front door breached and then the gunfire.

“The first thing I heard was ‘boom,’” he recalled to KMSP. “Bop, bop, bop, bop, bop. Right in front of us.”

“I was laying right here, and I really thought I was being murdered,” Mr. Arman recalled.

Arman’s girlfriend Camille, who is 8-months pregnant, ran frantically to protect their two sons, ages 4 and 7.   She contends that the sleeping children were directly in line with the attacks from police, as they shot her dog as it retreated.

“The gunshots scared the living daylights out of me, and knowing that they were in such close range of the dog and where we were laying with my kids made it worse,” Perry said to the Pioneer Press. “Our oldest dog actually ran back to protect us in front of the bed and they kept shooting her, even though we were laying right there.”

When the gun smoke cleared, it was evident that the invaders were members of the St. Paul SWAT team.

The hail of bullets unleashed into their two pet dogs, Mellow and Laylo, had killed them both.  Blood was splattered all over the living room, staining the carpet and a pair of shoes.

“One was running for her life, and they murdered her right here,” Mr. Arman said to KMSP.

Larry Lee Arman's broken door after experiencing a battering ram.  (Source: KMSP)

Officers proceeded to tear the house apart for hours.  Besides the two dead dogs, the extensive damages included multiple broken doors, broken door frames, and walls with the insulation and vents ripped out.  All damages were left to the homeowner to cover.

The 4-year-old son was quoted as innocently asking, “Did you see all the soldiers?”

Arman and Perry were left scratching their heads as to why they were targeted.  Mr. Arman admits that he uses marijuana recreationally, but there was no need to breach his door and shoot up his home.

The warrant stated that police were to seize drugs and weapons. 

The officer responsible for providing the supporting affidavit to acquire the search warrant was Officer Matthew Severance.

The police recovered a water pipe and some marijuana residue. 

According to Minnesota law, small amounts of marijuana are considered petty misdemeanors, and are punished with at $200 fine.  Cops also made off with some of Arman’s clothes and some of his cash.

The community was wholly shocked at the SWAT teams actions, appalled at the deaths of dogs that were “full of love,” according to neighbors, and then dumped on the side of the road like “pieces of meat.”

Police claimed their lives were in danger from the pets, who were “an immediate threat to officers” performing official government business.  There has been no indication that the department sees anything wrong with the raid or that anyone involved might be fired or disciplined in any way.  This was by the book.

See an interview conducted with the family by KMSP-TV: http://www.policestateusa.com/2014/arman-perry-swat-raid/