UPDATE: Deputies have obtained warrants for Jeremy Tipton and a second suspect.
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ORIGINAL STORY: A video showing a man shooting a dog five times has made the rounds on Facebook and has caught the attention of the Murray County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office.
A man, whose Facebook account name is Jeremy Tipton, publicly posted the video on Wednesday, but it’s unclear who fired the gun.
“5shots &he still waging his tail while I was digging the hole I wish it was me – – the world,” he wrote, later explaining that the dog had been sick and he wanted to “stop the suffering.”
“but after5bullets that dog bleed to death while I was digging it’s grave,” Tipton wrote.
The day before posting the video, Tipton posted, “I hope my mom’s dog don’t die but I don’t have time for this.”
The video has since gathered many comments condemning him for the killing.
“There are more of a humane way to end the ‘suffering’ than this,” Sarah Sandifer wrote.
“That dog isnt [sic] wagging its tail That is an involuntary movement,” wrote Terry Smith. “Do not think for a minute that you loved this animal.”
Others commented letting Tipton know they’d notified law enforcement and others tagged the sheriff’s office to notify them.
Chief Deputy Jimmy Davenport said investigators are currently looking into the case. Charges are possible, he said, but the investigation needs to be completed first.
It’s likely investigators will be done later Friday evening or it may go into next week, he said.
If charges are filed, it would be for cruelty to animals, Davenport said.
Cruelty to animals is considered a misdemeanor in Georgia. If convicted, offenders must pay a fine not to exceed $1,000 and/or serve up to 12 months in jail.
Contact staff writer Rosana Hughes at rhughes@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6327 with tips or story ideas. Follow her on Twitter @HughesRosana.
