A Michigan town is heartbroken and demanding answers after an officer was caught on video killing a beloved deer known in the community as Annie.
The incident happened on October 20 outside Pamela Babb’s home in Lawrence, Van Buren County.
Many residents were shocked by the killing of their beloved deer, with one saying: ‘There is no reason to kill her, she has never hurt anyone.’
Graphic video shared on social media shows Annie struggling with Officer David Loza, who had placed a belt around her neck.
The panicked deer continues to fight with Officer Loza, with a second video of him shooting the animal dead.
The officer manages to pin Annie down as she lies upside down, before pulling out a gun and firing a single shot. The deer jerks before going limp.
Annie, pictured here, was rescued by Pamela Babb and her family after her mother died after being hit by a car
Graphic video shared on social media shows Annie struggling with Officer David Loza, who has placed a leash around her neck
Officer Loza can be seen fighting with Annie before he managed to gain control of the animal and shoot it in the head
Pamela Babb told it WWMT that her family rescued the animal as a fawn after her mother was hit by a car.
She told the outlet, “They couldn’t help us take her because they ran out of room.”
Nevaeh Sylvester, Babb’s granddaughter, had been responsible for feeding the animal three times a day during his childhood.
She told WWMT, “I felt like that was the more humane thing to do than leave her with her dead mother.
“When she was old enough, she kept coming back to the farm and playing with you, the children.”
According to Babb, officers had attended the property for an unrelated child support incident when Officer Loza spotted the animal.
Babb added: “He reached out and put his hand on her head and was able to touch her and he said she is domesticated and needs to be put down.”
Sylvester added: ‘Saving her, I couldn’t, I just wanted to do it so bad, but there was nothing we could have done. I just wanted her to be safe, but she wasn’t.
“She was part of my family, like a child or brother or sister, I was very close to her.”
Pamela Babb, pictured here, said her family rescued the animal as a fawn after her mother was hit by a car
Nevaeh Sylvester, seen here, had been responsible for feeding the animal three times a day during his childhood
In a statement, Mario RedLegs, chief of the Pokagon Band Tribal Police, said: “The Pokagon Band Tribal Police are currently conducting an investigation into a deer being euthanized on the property of a suspect from Lawrence, Michigan, who was taken into custody for a arrest warrant. Friday October 20.
“The Pokagon Band Tribal Police assisted law enforcement in Van Buren County and consulted with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
“The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave. We appreciate your patience in this matter and we will provide an update once the investigation is complete.”
Since the deer’s death on Friday, local residents have since created a Facebook group called ‘Justice for Annie’.
The Justice for Annie Facebook page has been flooded with comments from people demanding justice and leaving memories.
Since the deer’s death on Friday, local residents have since created a Facebook group titled ‘Justice for Annie’
Since her death, the Justice for Annie Facebook page has been flooded with comments from people demanding justice and leaving memories
Officers had attended the property for an unrelated child support incident when Officer David Loza, pictured here, spotted the animal
One message read: ‘Rest in peace dear Annie. What the monsters you last interacted with did to you was cruel, inhumane, and heartless.
“May you have gone to heaven with memories of the outpouring of love for you from the village of Lawrence and all who knew you.”
Another read: ‘Our dear Annie. My heart is broken. Everyone in Lawrence County loves and misses you.”
While another said: ‘This is how I will always remember Annie. RIP sweet girl. So many people loved you. You made a difference in this world.”
In a post to the group, they have since said that Babb was charged with unlawfully domesticating a wild animal, and is awaiting a court hearing for her first appearance.
Officer Loza’s wife, Gretchen Loza, also shared a post on her Facebook.
She said: “On behalf of our family we wanted to thank you for the hundreds of calls and texts.
“Many of you have asked what we need, so here it is… we need those brave enough to stand ready and stand up for Dave.
‘Don’t judge a book by one paragraph, because in this case people will miss a big part of the story.’