A Georgia police officer will not face criminal charges after tasing and fatally shooting a beloved miniature donkey he claimed threatened his safety.
Officer Trenton Garner, 24, was placed on administrative leave after shooting and killing the one-year-old donkey, HeeHaw, at Elsberry Farm in Cedartown.
The district attorney for the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit reportedly cleared Garner of criminal charges on Tuesday.
The attorney for HeeHaw's owner, Hannah Israel, said her client hasn't received official court documentation confirming the charges were cleared.
Israel's legal team is maintaining that the shooting was unjustified and plans to pursue accountability through an ongoing civil suit.
'There was simply no justification for HeeHaw to be killed,' Israel's attorney wrote in a statement to Fox 5.
'There's no universe in which he posed any danger whatsoever. Our battle for accountability will continue.'
Israel's legal team emphasized that they will press forward with their civil lawsuit.
Officer Trenton Garner, 24, was placed on administrative leave after shooting and killing the 1-year-old donkey, HeeHaw, at Elsberry Farm in Cedartown
A Georgia police officer will not face criminal charges after tasing and fatally shooting a beloved miniature donkey he claimed threatened his safety
The attorneys for HeeHaw's owner, Hannah Israel, said her client hasn't received official court documentation confirming the charges were cleared
Officer Garner initially crossed paths with the donkey on the night of August 29 after he was called to assist a bloodhound team that was searching for a missing 12-year-old girl, according to the incident report reviewed by the Daily Mail.
Garner wrote that he and the other officers followed footprints on a trail that led to a pasture owned by Elsberry Riding and Farm, a local business that offers petting zoos, pony rides and trail rides.
Officer Garner initially crossed paths with the donkey on the night of August 29th after he was called to assist a bloodhound team that was searching for a missing 12-year-old girl
The attorney said, 'There's no universe in which he posed any danger whatsoever. Our battle for accountability will continue'
Because of the 'exigency of locating this missing juvenile,' the cops entered the pasture and were soon met with horses that got 'spooked' and ran away, the report said.
After that, a K-9 handler said he saw a donkey before the animal 'began to charge at us,' Garner recalled.
In an attempt to 'deter' the animal, the K-9 handler tased the animal, but when that didn't work, Garner drew his Glock 17 from his holster and pointed it at HeeHaw, he said.
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The officer, who was sworn onto the force in July 2023, then said he fired one shot at the male donkey, causing it to 'retreat up the hill before falling over.'
He said he fired the gun to protect himself, the K-9 officer, and the team of bloodhounds from the baby animal, Garner stated in the report.
Israel raised over $100,000 in funds through a GoFundMe account.
'We will be using any donations left for the farm, care of the animals, a fund for making a HeeHaw foundation, and none of it for our personal needs,' Israel wrote on the fundraising page.
'This is not a pay day for us. Thank y'all so much for your support,' she said.
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