WOODLAWN, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – An Investigator with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) assigned to the Special Victims Unit shot and killed a woman’s dog Monday afternoon.
The dog’s owner, Melissa Holleman, is upset about the way the situation was handled.
According to a statement from MCSO, Investigator Fred Smith was following up on a child abuse case and encountered a “charging pit bill” when he stopped at a residence on Sawmill Road to speak to a witness.
Smith said he was compelled to discharge his firearm because he feared for his safety.
Bailey was shot at least one time in the head and died at the scene.
Per departmental policy, Smith notified his supervisor who responded to complete an investigation.
MCSO said Smith contacted central dispatch over the radio to report the incident and asked for his supervisor to arrive on scene.
Holleman, who was not home at the time of the incident, had called MCSO several days before to report a child abuse case. She said investigators visited her home that day for a follow up, but did not inform her that they would be visiting.
She said her home has an invisible electric fence installed to keep the dogs contained, and that Bailey was wearing her electric shock collar at the time.
Holleman was told by neighbors that Smith pulled halfway up her driveway before exiting his vehicle. The neighbors, who had called Holleman to inform her about Bailey, also said Smith told him Bailey was dead when he found her. Holleman said she asked to speak to Smith on the phone, who told her someone shot her dog, but did not say it was him.
An incident report from MCSO states that Smith was unable to get to his vehicle in time to avoid the dogs and thought they were going to attack him.
Nearby neighbors came outside and said Bailey was very friendly and would not “bite a biscuit.” At that point, Smith had not told the neighbors that he was the one who shot the dog. The dog’s owner, Melissa Holleman, arrived home shortly afterward.
When Sgt. Wojnarek arrived at the scene, he told Smith to leave to keep the situation from escalating. After he left, Holleman was informed that Smith shot Bailey. At this point, the neighbors started yelling that Smith had said he didn’t shoot the dog. They said when Smith saw the neighbors, he reportedly told them that he “found the dog that way.”
The Sheriff’s Office said Smith refrained from discussing what had transpired with the pet owner and neighbors and allowed his supervisor to convey the details of the incident to to avoid further escalation of the situation.
The incident report said Bailey’s body was approximately 45 feet from the front of the driveway. A .45 cal casing was found about 30 feet from the same location.
Sgt. Wojnarek examined the dog and found only one entry wound above the dog’s left eye, but investigators believe two rounds were shot.
Holleman said she later spoke to Wojnarek, who allegedly told her that Smith fired his gun with one hand. He reportedly told her that Smith’s gun jammed on the second shot, and that he lied about shooting the dog initially because he was afraid of being out on a call with a gun that was out of service.
Holleman described Bailey as a loving and friendly dog, who she had cared for since she was a puppy. “Bailey was the biggest baby,” she said. “She had no history of biting and was not aggressive.”
It is unclear if the Sheriff’s Office will take further action.
Holleman said she plans to hire an attorney and file charges against Smith.