Angie Harmon sues Instacart and driver she claims fatally shot her dog
Angie Harmon is suing Instacart and driver Christopher Anthoney Reid for trespassing, negligence and other claims after he fatally shot her beloved dog while providing a delivery service.
In the complaint obtained by Page Six, the “Rizzoli & Isles” alum, 51, accuses Reid of delivering her groceries under a false identity, which was that of an older woman named Merle.
“Ms. Harmon had no idea she had been communicating with defendant Reid, a tall and intimidating younger man,” the lawsuit states.
Harmon claims that shortly after Reid’s arrival to her property on March 30, she heard “what sounded like a gun shot,” noting that her daughters were in the backyard at the time.
The “Law & Order” alum went outside to see what had taken place and found her children “in distress.”
“Ms. Harmon immediately noticed that defendant Reid was placing a gun in the front of his pants, potentially in his pant pocket,” the complaint alleges.
“Looking to the side, she saw that her beloved dog, Oliver, was shot. Although shot, Oliver was still alive.”
Harmon’s dog sadly died at the veterinarian’s office.
When Harmon first shared the tragic incident with her Instagram followers last month, she revealed that the driver had claimed “self-defense” and alleged to police that Oliver had been aggressive.
“He did not have a scratch or bite on him nor were his pants torn,” the “Baywatch” alum pointed out in her April 1 post, adding that her Ring camera was in the house charging and therefore did not record what really occurred as evidence.
Harmon also claimed at the time that Reid had unabashedly told her, “Yeah, I shot your dog. Yeah, I did.”
“We are completely traumatized & beyond devastated at the loss of our beloved boy & family member,” she lamented.
Police declined to press charges against Reid after solely interviewing him and before a necropsy had been conducted, per the complaint.
Harmon and her attorneys are now arguing that Reid had “no legal right” to access her property while “wrongfully trespassing” and using “the firearm he brought onto plaintiffs’ property to kill plaintiff’s dog.”
In addition to trespassing and negligence, she is suing for conversion, negligent supervision/hiring, invasion of privacy and negligent misrepresentation.
The “Buried in Barstow” star is seeking more than $25,000 in damages, but an exact amount has not been determined.
Instacart says in a statement to Page Six, “Our hearts continue to be with Ms. Harmon and her family following this disturbing incident.
“While we cannot comment on pending litigation, we have no tolerance for violence of any kind, and the shopper account has been permanently deactivated from our platform.”
Instacart claims to have a “robust identity verification and safety screening process” that requires all of its workers to complete a “thorough background check.”
The company prohibits “any violence or aggression,” including carrying a weapon.
We’re told therefore Reid was “immediately suspended after we received a report from the customer” and his account was subsequently “permanently deactivated.”
Harmon told ABC News, however, on Wednesday that when she first called the company, they allegedly told her, “We’ll see what we can do” and “we’ll get back to you.”
She added, “I think Instacart is beyond responsible for this. Like, this didn’t have to happen.”
Page Six has been unable to reach Reid for comment, and it appears that he has not yet filed a response to the suit.
