MERCEDES, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A La Feria man was arrested after shooting a dog that he claimed was harassing people in the area, documents revealed.
Michael Edwards Barnes was arrested on a charge of cruelty to non-livestock animals, Hidalgo County Jail records show.
At 3 p.m. on Nov. 1, an officer with the Mercedes Police Department was dispatched to La Casa Gardens at the 350 block of Mesquite Lane in reference to shots being fired.
While enroute, dispatched informed the officer that a worker had been seen shooting a dog, a probable cause affidavit stated.
The officer arrived and went to the main office, where he spoke with Barnes. Barnes told him that he had been having issues with a dog that would keep biting the children, and that animal control never caught the dog.
Barnes said he could no longer deal with the dog biting kids, and “today he finally got the canine to come out and popped the canine,” the document states.
He told police that he shot the dog with his black Glock 23 .40 caliber two times, causing it to run away bleeding, the affidavit continues.
Additionally, Barnes said everyone was happy that he shot the dog.
The officer was informed that the dog was underneath one of the lots, and it was then seen standing up and walking. The officer noted it was limping and its front left leg was motionless and could not use it to walk.
Barnes was then placed under arrested. His bond was set at $20,000 and he was released from jail a day later.
