Jones County Deputy Justified in Dog Shooting

MACON, Georgia (41 NBC/WMGT) – A Jones County seargent was recently cleared for shooting a dog while trying to arrest a convicted felon, who was driving a stolen car.

Jones County Sheriff R.N. “Butch” Reese ordered an internal investigation into the shooting and found that Sgt. Little was justified in shooting the dog

Sheriff Reese launched the probe on Sept. 22.

“While it is always regrettable when an animal is injured, we have concluded that the deputy who fired the shot acted reasonably and was justified in taking the action he did,” said Reese, in a written statement. “The officer was dealing with a convicted felon, who was reported to be armed and dangerous, and was forced to make a split second decision. We are delighted that Ammo is apparently going to make a good recovery from her injuries.”

According to the police report, the shooting stemmed from a confrontation between sheriff deputies and Corey Marshall Farley Sr., on Sept. 22.

Anna Peed told deputies her cousin, Farley, drove to her home in a stolen Nissan X-Terra and he had a 12 gauge shotgun. Peed also told deputies a few years ago Farley put a .45 caliber gun to her head.

“…and she was not sure what Farley would be capable of doing to avoid arrest,” continued the report.

Peed described her cousin as a “loose cannon”, who had been recently released from prison.

She told the officers she had a small child at the home and two dogs. Peed signed a consent form for the deputies to search her home.

When deputies arrived at the Chapman Road mobile home Farley was outside talking with another man and one of the dogs was on the porch.

“I heard Sgt. (David) Little say, ‘Let me see your hands,’ and I heard a gun shot,” said Officer Thomas Sullivan Jr., in the report.

After the shooting, Sullivan said he saw a brown dog bleeding. He also watched as the gray and white dog bit the brown dog’s ear and started snatching it around.

Little said in his report, he ordered, “the subject sitting in the driver’s seat to put his hands up. As, I stepped toward the vehicle a large bulldog breed dog charged at me. I fired one round hitting the dog to prevent the dog from biting me.”

Farley was arrested and charged with theft of a stolen vehicle, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of other weapons, possession of drugs, and possession of narcotic equipment.

During the arrest deputies found a large knife on Farley’s side.

There was an outstanding warrant for Farley’s arrest in Oklahoma. He was also being investigated by police detectives in Utah and Virginia.