Lake Charles police killed a friendly dog in an on foot pursuit of suspects this week. There's an online petition and growing outrage about the action of one police officer who shot the dog to death while police were reportedly engaged in a foot pursuit of some suspects.

It happened at a house on Hodges Street in Lake Charles. Dolores Crochet's son's dog 'Monkey' was in a fenced in area when a suspect the police were chasing opened a gate. The dog ran out when the gate was left open. As 'Monkey' ran toward one of the officers, the officer opened fire on the dog he thought was going to attack him.

There is a heart-broke Dolores Crochet sitting on the ground, next to the dead dog. The image has dominated social media and is on a web site where a petition was started calling for a thorough investigation into whether deadly force was warranted.

The dog was shot 4 times by the officer. "He was shooting down like this. Monkey wasn't jumping on him or anything. Four times he shot and the bullet went in. Others said they heard more shots. I didn't because from here she came and met me over there. Well, I was with her. She walked over there and she laid down and that's where she died," said Crochet.

Deputy Lake Charles Police Chief Mark Kraus and another officer visited the Crochet family at their home. Kraus said, "When the suspect left the gate open the owner's dog came out of that opening, saw the policeman running through his yard and approached the policeman. The policeman at that point, thought the dog was attacking him and he shot the dog".

An investigation is underway.

[Via: KPLC TV]