us 378
12-20-2008, 10:02 PM
WTF???? Why is animal control firing an armed weapon on a stray dog in a residential neighborhood???
http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=68867&catid=2
ORANGEBURG (AP, WLTX) - Authorities say an Orangeburg County animal control officer shot a woman in the leg while chasing a stray dog through a neighborhood.
Sheriff Larry Williams says the shooting seems accidental. His office is investigating, primarily whether guidelines were followed for subduing an animal in a neighborhood. The animal control officer, 49-year-old Reginald Wright, is not charged with a crime.
The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg reports Saturday that 36-year-old Michelle Champy was in her yard with her 5-month-old grandchild and 1-year-old niece when she was shot with a rifle Thursday morning.
"If you go to the store or something, they start pointing at you and all kind of crazy stuff, I guess it's crazy cause a dogcatcher shot your mom," says David Ferguson, of how people react to the family now.
While it may be hard to believe, it's serious for Ferguson.
His mom was shot by a 22-caliber rifle, just a few feet away from her 5 month old grand-daughter. "The baby was right here and my mom was right here about to reach down and pick her up and it hit her in the leg," says Ferguson.
Deputies say an animal control officer shot her and that he was after a stray dog. Ferguson says the dog had been roaming the neighborhood for some time. "He set traps for about 2 weeks straight and couldn't catch him and next thing I know he came back and said he was gonna try to euthanize him, shoot him with a rifle," he says of the officer's attempts, "Everybody said the dog was dangerous to the community around here, but it ain't never tried nothing with us."
Deputies are still investigating the incident, but so far say it looks like an accident. "I really thought he was done shooting after he hit the dog twice, but after the third shot, my sister freaked out. Karen freaked out and was screaming saying, 'My mom just got shot," and I freaked out, 'You just shot my mom," remembers Ferguson.
Even though Champy's injuries aren't serious, the family is concerned with what might have been in a neighborhood where kids are known to roam. "What if he would have shot up a little higher? It would have hit her in the stomach or something," worries Ferguson, "Accident could have caused serious injury and it could have caused serious injury to my little baby too. She's only 5 months old."
They only hope this will be the last unusual story that the neighbors will have to talk about.
Wright and his partner have been placed on paid leave during the investigation.
A message left at a phone number listed for Wright was not immediately returned.
http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=68867&catid=2
ORANGEBURG (AP, WLTX) - Authorities say an Orangeburg County animal control officer shot a woman in the leg while chasing a stray dog through a neighborhood.
Sheriff Larry Williams says the shooting seems accidental. His office is investigating, primarily whether guidelines were followed for subduing an animal in a neighborhood. The animal control officer, 49-year-old Reginald Wright, is not charged with a crime.
The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg reports Saturday that 36-year-old Michelle Champy was in her yard with her 5-month-old grandchild and 1-year-old niece when she was shot with a rifle Thursday morning.
"If you go to the store or something, they start pointing at you and all kind of crazy stuff, I guess it's crazy cause a dogcatcher shot your mom," says David Ferguson, of how people react to the family now.
While it may be hard to believe, it's serious for Ferguson.
His mom was shot by a 22-caliber rifle, just a few feet away from her 5 month old grand-daughter. "The baby was right here and my mom was right here about to reach down and pick her up and it hit her in the leg," says Ferguson.
Deputies say an animal control officer shot her and that he was after a stray dog. Ferguson says the dog had been roaming the neighborhood for some time. "He set traps for about 2 weeks straight and couldn't catch him and next thing I know he came back and said he was gonna try to euthanize him, shoot him with a rifle," he says of the officer's attempts, "Everybody said the dog was dangerous to the community around here, but it ain't never tried nothing with us."
Deputies are still investigating the incident, but so far say it looks like an accident. "I really thought he was done shooting after he hit the dog twice, but after the third shot, my sister freaked out. Karen freaked out and was screaming saying, 'My mom just got shot," and I freaked out, 'You just shot my mom," remembers Ferguson.
Even though Champy's injuries aren't serious, the family is concerned with what might have been in a neighborhood where kids are known to roam. "What if he would have shot up a little higher? It would have hit her in the stomach or something," worries Ferguson, "Accident could have caused serious injury and it could have caused serious injury to my little baby too. She's only 5 months old."
They only hope this will be the last unusual story that the neighbors will have to talk about.
Wright and his partner have been placed on paid leave during the investigation.
A message left at a phone number listed for Wright was not immediately returned.