A Tennessee police officer was let go from the force after shooting a squirrel to death at a Dollar General store the Huffington Post reported Monday and updated Thursday.
"Through a violation of the police department policy officer Jody Putnam's employment, as a Mountain City Police Officer, was terminated by the Board of Mayor and Alderman," Mountain City Mayor Lawrence Keeble told television station WJHL.
Putnam was removed from the Mountain City Police Department after he fired his gun at a squirrel that did not have any weapons after attempting to control the animal that had ventured into the store, located in Johnson County WJHL reported.
Mountain City police officers are required to let their supervisor know when they discharge a weapon; something Putnam did not do. They must also submit a written statement according to guidelines set out by the department
"Shooting back there, of course that should not have been, that should not have happened. Then they began to spray it with mace and pepper spray," property owner Carl Duffield told WJHL-TV.
The spray also reached customers who were near the squirrel or watching the scene take place.
"There was a lot of people that come out and just like me they came out and they were coughing and a hacking. It was comical, but I'm sure they didn't feel that way, the customers that came out." The amount of shots fired are not known."
Officials originally contacted Animal Control to come remove the squirrel but Putnam responded when no one was available.
"The decision the City Council made on this incident speaks for itself," Mountain City Mayor Lawrence told Huffington Post.
According to the Mountain City Tomahawk, the squirrel was squished underneath Putnam's shoe as onlookers re-entered the store.
Surveillance video of the incident was not available WJHL reported.
