On April 22, 2008 at approx 16:00pm dog training partner Rodney Anderson and I went to the south end of Liberty Lake in Guthrie, Oklahoma to exercise horses and coonhounds. We made sure all dogs had bright orange collars, name plates with my name and phone number all young dogs had training collars as well. We unloaded and saddled horses, unloaded dogs at approximately 16:30pm. We proceeded south down dirt road. All hounds were accounted for. About 400 yards from truck dogs went into cedars, I believed them to smell some kind of track. We rode another 100yds or so and stopped to look at the lake toward north and waited for hounds. Within five minutes we heard shooting from the direction of the truck and trailer. The dirt road was rough with no apparent traffic. I took this road at full run on the horses. Rod took smoother but longer trail nearby. I arrived at trailer and trailer within seconds. I observed individual shooting last hound. My horse was carrying so much speed I couldn’t get him stopped until I reached the trailer passing individual as he was reloading his shotgun. After securing horse I looked around to see five of our hounds lying on the ground with gunshot wounds. The individual, Rodney Luckinbill, as identified by police later, was yelling something at me. Cursing at me and waiving shotgun at me. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing or hearing. When I asked Luckinbill why he shot our hounds he responded “I won’t’ tolerate any dogs running around here.” I asked why he killed all these hounds, he stated that “One was gut shot and would soon bleed to death.” At this point I was kneeling over Ice our future breeding female. She had holes the size of my fist on both sides. I asked Luckinbill if he intended to shoot me to. He said “He would blow my head off if I gave him reason to.” At this point he killed four hounds (five, actually found one in tall grass later) with the rage he conducted himself with and observing him loading his Mossberg 500 pump shotgun, I was clearly in fear that I was next to be killed. Mr. Luckinbill stated the police were coming. Considering his irrational behavior and the hound massacre I was relieved somewhat knowing they would be there soon. Rod Anderson rode up and witnessed where all dogs laid 20 to 30 feet from trailer. Mr. Anderson witnessed Mr. Luckinbill wielding shotgun. Rod witnessed all shots. Officers Hamilton and Roden arrived they witnessed where dogs laid, the blood, the shotgun shells and the violent behavior Mr. Luckinbill exhibited. I told the officers my side of story stated we had only been riding 15 to 20 minutes. Also Officer Hamilton was made aware of threats of bodily injury to me. Officer Hamilton stated he had never been in this situation before and notified supervisor. I do not know name of Supervisor. Supervisor stated if I had dogs on leash this would not have happened. Rod Anderson stated to officers we had cast hounds at this place many times before without problem. Also stated that there were no leash laws in this particular area. Also there were no Private Property signs or Cattle in Area. No tickets on either side were issued.
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Rod Anderson and I Kevin Bowen maintain the following
1.We cast dogs and rode horses in area we considered safe. On city of Guthrie property.
2.All hounds had orange collars, identification plate with my name and active phone number and training collars.
3.The time that this took place was 15 to 20 minutes after we began riding.
4.Mr. Luckinbill shot hounds within 20 to 30 feet of truck and trailer on city property
5.Mr. Luckinbill shot approx eight times killing five dogs. He reloaded several times shooting some dogs two and three times each. Point blank range. Wadding from the Mossberg 500 12-guage was sticking in the side of Ranger, my bluetick hound male.
6. We maintain Mr. Luckinbill exhibited violent behavior. He threatened to “blow my head off if given a reason”
7.We maintain that at no time were dogs chasing cattle and certainly were not harassing cattle at my truck.
8.We maintain that Mr. Luckinbill as witnessed by myself and Rod Anderson to include pictures and video left his personal property with intent to do bodily harm to something or someone. He found all dogs at my truck and proceeded to kill them.
9. We maintain all evidence pictures, videos, witnesses and spent shotgun shells will support our claim
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