According to the family, a Judsonia police officer shot and killed their two dogs in their driveway

Judsonia, Arkansas – The atmosphere in a Judsonia family’s residence has turned somber following the unfortunate demise of their two dogs. The family asserts that a police officer was responsible for the dogs’ deaths on August 16.

“I’ve never been simultaneously this heartbroken and furious,” said Dalaina Cross, the owner of Thunder and Lightning, the two dogs that were fatally shot. According to her account, the incident occurred as an officer conducted a traffic stop at the entrance of their driveway on Highway 367 North.

At the time, Thunder and Lightning were outside for a bathroom break and had approached the scene. Cross mentioned that her son went onto the porch to call the dogs back home. “Thunder! Lightning! Thunder! He managed to call them about three times before the shots from the police started,” she recounted.

While she mourns the loss of her dogs, Cross is angered by the fact that shots were fired towards her residence and her children. “I miss my dogs, but I am so mad that he shot towards my home and towards my children,” Cross expressed.

Cross recounted a conversation she had with Judsonia Police Chief Robert Parsons, during which he apparently justified the officer’s actions. She had hoped that the officer would take a leave of absence, participate in gun safety classes, and offer an apology to her sons.

Tragedy struck Lightning at the beginning of the driveway, as evident by the bloodstains on the driveway rocks. Thunder, on the other hand, was shot while making his way back home. Despite reaching the safety of the house, he succumbed to his injuries in front of Cross’s five children, leaving them deeply traumatized.

The grief over losing Thunder and Lightning is enduring, but Cross is particularly troubled by the fact that gunshots were directed toward her home. She is concerned that such actions might lead to future incidents where an officer could potentially harm or even fatally injure someone.

The two beloved dogs would have turned two years old in December. Our attempts to verify these allegations with the Judsonia Police Department were unsuccessful as the incident is under investigation, and they were unable to provide a comment.