Gwinnett County man charged in deadly shooting of trapped dog
Richard Hart (Gwinnett County Police Department)
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A Gwinnett County man is facing charges after officials say he shot and killed a Husky near his home.
Officials tell FOX 5 that officers were called to a home on the 3000 block of Citrus Drive after a man called 911 saying he shot a dog that had been captured in one of his traps.
Responding to the scene, the Gwinnett County Animal Control Unit found the body of a Husky.
The gunman, identified as 78-year-old Richard Beatty Hart, reportedly told officers that he shot the dog because it was chasing his cats.
Officers arrested Hart and charged him with aggravated cruelty to animals, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during the commission of certain felonies, and reckless conduct.
Officials say residents should call 911 or the Gwinnett County non-emergency line at (770) 513-5700 instead of approaching a trapped animal.