Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson says Sgt. Russell Metcalf with the Harrisonburg Police Department admits to shooting the dog while riding his bike.
Now, the dog's family says they want justice for their dog's death.
"Whether it was a police officer or not, it should not have happened," said Becky Bonds, the dog owner's daughter.
Bonds' parents' dog Sadie was shot to death right outside their home.
Neighbors are shocked to hear that a Harrisonburg Police Officer is accused of pulling the trigger.
"Being a police officer, if he would just shoot an animal for no reason, you have to wonder you know, what else would they do?" said Tammy Evans, a neighbor.
Bonds says she would bring her dog Cooper to play with Sadie all the time.
"He's very timid around other dogs and she really was one of the only other dogs that he would play with, just rough and tumble having fun out in the yard, having fun together," said Bonds.
She says Sadie was not intimidating at all.
"She wasn't very big, she was maybe 20 pounds," said Bonds. "She was on the smaller side of the border collie lab mix and she was just really sweet, loved to have her belly rubbed, sometimes would get so excited to see people that she'd have little accidents on the carpet."
Bonds and her parents posted flyers all over the community, asking for help to find the man who killed their dog.
Now that they know who the Sheriff says he is, Bonds says this man should be held accountable for his actions.
"She was not mean in any way and didn't deserve this, so we hope justice is served in some way so that you know something like this doesn't happen again," said Bonds.
Bonds says a family with a one-year-old girl lives right next to where their dog was shot. She says no one should be using a gun in that neighborhood.
No charges have been filed yet. The Rockingham County Sheriff's Office is investigating the case.
(WHSV - May 10, 2012)
