- Florida, USA -
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office arrested 34-years-old STEVEN LEE PARSONS (pictured below) for shooting the family dog in a domestic dispute on the night of Thursday, September 9.
According to a news release by the sheriff’s office, “the disturbance stemmed from Parsons’ girlfriend hiding his guns from him because he was intoxicated and made a comment about using them on himself.”
The girlfriend said PARSONS was acting aggressively so she hid the guns and then left the house with her 8-year-old boy and her 10-year-old girl inside, ran across the street and called 911.
Deputies responded to the property on Lake Drive in DeBary and once inside they checked on the safety of the two children who were understandably upset but uninjured.
Deputies then noticed blood throughout the house, and moments later they were greeted by a Pitbull mix who came around a corner bleeding heavily with an apparent gunshot wound between the eyes, stated the release.
Despite the injury, the furbaby named Chappo, was friendly toward deputies, and was walking around and wagging his tail.
PARSONS told deputies he shot the dog because he bit him.
The girlfriend explained to deputies that Chappo is very protective of her and he bit PARSONS because he was yelling at her.
Deputies said the shooting took place in the bathroom where they found a spent round.
The girlfriend took Chappo to an emergency animal clinic in Daytona Beach and was kept overnight for observation. The veterinarian found an entry wound near his nose and an exit wound near his mouth/cheek. The good news is that Chappo is expected to be fine.
Meantime, deputies completed a temporary risk protection order for the seizure of PARSONS’ weapons.
He was placed under arrest and transported to AdventHealth Fish Memorial Hospital in Orange City. After he was medically cleared, deputies transported him to the Volusia County Branch Jail on charges of animal cruelty, child abuse, and shooting into a dwelling.
Online records show PARSONS is still in custody.
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