The deputy seen on video shooting a small dog, namely a defenseless chihuahua, has been charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty.
It all started with a call to 911.
And it was call caught on video.
A former K-9 handler for the Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office, Keenan Wallace, has been charged for shooting the small dog in the head after video of the incident went viral back in January when it caught the attention of news media.
On January 4, Wallace shot the 9-pound Chihuahua mix named “Reese’s Cup” after responding to a call from a lady claiming there was an aggressive dog in her yard, bothering her.
The woman claimed she was attacked by Reese’s and that the dog frequently chases her, according to KATV.
That when Wallace confronted Doug Canady, the dog’s owner.
Wallace requests to talk with Canady in the roadway to avoid angering the dog, but Canady refused and an argument ensued.
As Wallace walks toward Canady, he tells a fellow resident that he “would act accordingly” if the chihuahua threatened his safety, according to his police report.
“I informed Mr. Canady I would speak with him in his yard, but if his dog threatened my safety, I would act accordingly,” Wallace’s incident report reads.
“Mr. Canady began explaining the dog did not belong to him. As Mr. Canady was speaking, the dog lunged toward me in an attempt to bite me on my leg.”
Wallace opened fire on all nine pounds of Reese’s body, hitting the dog in the head, after he says the dog “lunged” at him, which is usually the mantra we hear when a cop shoots a man holding a knife from a long distance.
In the video, seen above, it does not appear if Reese’s is posing a threat to Wallace, or even could pose a realistic threat.
Wallace was fired by the sheriff’s office after an investigation, but Sheriff Tim Ryals initially said it did not appear that Wallace violated any state law or agency policy, although he said his actions fell short of department standards.
“Deputy Wallace fired his service weapon that injured an animal while in close proximity to a citizen,” the sheriff said in a statement.
“Deputy Wallace fired his service weapon that injured an animal while in close proximity to a citizen.”
The sheriff’s officer then referred its investigation to the prosecutors office, who then decided to pursue cruelty charges against Wallace.
According to Arkansas state law, a person commits animal cruelty if they knowingly kill or injure an animal owned by another person without the consent of the owner.
Wallace, who has already pleaded guilty to the crime, is due back in court on July 8 for sentencing.
He faces up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Reese’s miraculously survived the ordeal.
