When a Maryland resident stuck in traffic saw an adorable groundhog trying to cross a busy road, she decided to take a quick video from her car.
But less than a minute later, she was horrified to see a Carroll County sheriff's deputy approach the groundhog, draw his service weapon — and shoot the defenseless animal dead.
This was a shocking, cruel, and unnecessary act — and this deputy needs to be held accountable! Please sign to demand that the Carroll County Sheriff's Department investigate this act of animal cruelty and fire this officer for his gruesome actions.
In most jurisdictions, police officers are only supposed to use their firearms in extreme circumstances — and only as a last resort. It's clear from this video that the groundhog was NOT a threat to the deputy or to the bystanders watching.
In an interview with HuffPost, a groundhog expert and biology professor said the groundhog seemed harmless and only wanted to cross the road. "He/she probably had a burrow on the other side. It was not attempting to go after the police officer," the professor said.
Even if the animal was sick, procedures called for the sheriff's deputy to call animal control instead of firing his service weapon on a busy road.
This was a dangerous and senseless act and the Carroll County Sheriff's Department needs to answer for it. Sign and share the petition to call for the sheriff's deputy to be held accountable.
Photo credit: Facebook Screenshot / Justyna Olkowska
