Maurice Taylor, a resident, says, "That's just horrible. That is just heartbreaking. I really hope they lock him up."
That's just what LaFayette police did when they say they found out Christopher Lee Jones, 43, took his 380 caliber pistol and shot a dog once in the head.
Chief Benjamin Clift, with the LaFayette Police Department, says, "He said he'd been drinking and that he was just upset with the animal. The dog had damaged some of his personal property, was using the bathroom in the yard."
Police say the animal was not even his.
They tell us Jones had another couple living with him, but they moved out and left the dog for a short time.
Clift adds, "I think he stated that he was going to come back and get it later."
But this happened before the dog owner could do that.
Taylor says, "I can't imagine someone doing that to some poor, defenseless animal, maybe if he was attacking him. I can understand that, but just being a dog out in the yard."
Police tell us this case is quite unusual, and not just because it has only happened once or twice in the last 15 years.
Clift adds, "He didn't really care if he got blood on him. I don't want to say sociopathic tendencies, but he didn't have a lot of remorse for shooting the animal."
But he did show emotion when we went to his house.
He was upset we were there and while asked not to be on camera, said he thought cruelty to animals was just a misdemeanor.
Well, according to police, his charge, aggravated cruelty to animals, is actually a felony.
Clift adds, "He committed a felony with a firearm, how the DA punishes that, I don't know."
We asked some residents if being charged with a felony was too harsh of a penalty.
Taylor says, "No, not in this extreme case, certainly not."
LaFayette Police tell us Jones is a war veteran, and they're looking into whether or not post traumatic stress could be associated with this crime.
Jones has also been charged with firing a gun in a public street.
