A Sarepta police officer has been arrested in connection with a May incident involving the fatal shooting of a dog, the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office announced Friday.
Joe D. Morgan, 42, was taken into custody around 3 PM on June 6 following an investigation into a May 20 incident in Sarepta. Morgan was responding to a complaint of an aggressive animal when the dog was shot and killed.
Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker said that after Sgt. Terry Brown conducted multiple interviews and collected witness statements, the findings were presented to the Webster Parish District Attorney’s Office.
“The shooting was determined to be justifiable,” Parker said.
However, Morgan faces a misdemeanor charge of false imprisonment, based on statements he allegedly made to one of the dog’s owners.
“We learned the female owner wanted to take the animal to a veterinarian to be treated if possible, but Officer Morgan threatened to arrest her if she attempted to leave the scene,” Parker said. “Witnesses verified he did indeed make such a threat.”
Morgan is being held at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center with bond set at $500.