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Deputy Fired over Dog’s Fatal Shooting

Posted/updated on: April 25, 2014 at 4:42 pm
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justiceforcandyfbEMORY — An East Texas deputy has been fired after shooting a family’s dog while responding to a burglary. The family is outraged after a necropsy shows their dog was shot dead while apparently moving away from law enforcement. KETK reports the family’s dog, Candy, was shot by a deputy responding to a burglary call at the home of Cole and Jayna Middleton on Farm to Market 514 in the Daughtery Community April 18. Officials with the Rains County Sheriff Office say Deputy Jerred Dooley responded to the call at 2:41 p.m., nearly two hours after the initial call for help. According to Rains County Communication Supervisor Patrick Wilson, the two-hour delay was investigated and the cause was found and corrected with administrative actions.

Responding deputies reported Dooley felt in danger of being attacked by the family dog and reacted by shooting the animal to keep from being bitten. The Rains County Sheriffs Office had initially put Dooley on administrative leave and launched an internal investigation. According to an necropsy the family sent KETK, Dr. Kevin Bankston of the Hopkins County Veterinary Clinic examined Candy and determined the blue heeler was shot in the head from behind. Bankston says, “In my estimation, based on my pathology findings, the trajectory of the bullet could best be described as caudal rostral, i.e. from the back of the head towards the nose. These findings suggest that Candy was shot while retreating from the shooter.”

In a statement, the Sheriff’s Office says, “The Rains County Sheriffs Office would most importantly like to offer condolences to the Middleton Family as they have suffered a hard loss. The Rains County Sheriffs Office has never encountered an issue of this nature, but plan to make positive changes for the future. The Rains County Sheriffs Office is now in process of introducing new policies regarding animals at large when approaching residences. It is our goal to serve, protect, and keep all situations in which we are involved…safe for both people and animals. The Rains County Sheriffs Office will continue the investigation until further notice and promises to make positive strides in this matter.”

Rains County District Attorney Robert F. Vititow says the investigation into Dooley’s actions is ongoing. When and if the case is presented to his office by law enforcement for prosecution, Vittitow says it will treated as any other case. The Middletons have created a Facebook page that has garnered more than 13,000 likes.



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