'Justice for Annie': Police killing of beloved deer in Michigan leads to anger, calls for accountability
Annie (Photo: DeeDee Lamberton)
VAN BUREN COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Residents of a Michigan city are outraged after a police officer shot and killed a deer known to frequent the area and interact with people.
Officer David Loza, with the Pokagon Band Tribal Police, shot and killed Annie while assisting Van Buren County Sheriff's deputies who were executing an unrelated warrant at a home in Lawrence Township on Oct. 20. Pokagon police say authorities consulted with the Michigan Department of Resources about the animal.
Residents say it happened because the officer thought the deer was domesticated. Witness video shows Annie walking around a group of police before the officer catches her with an animal control pole. Residents can be heard saying that the deer is not confined and roams the county.
The Pokagon Band Tribal Police terminated Loza on Friday, the department said in a statement.
"Mr. Loza ignored comments from citizens and misidentified Annie as a ‘pet deer’ He acted independently and committed multiple police violations in his decision to euthanize Annie without just cause," said Police Chief Mario RedLegs. "The Pokagon Band Tribal Police will be working to identify ways we can demonstrate our support for animal rights."
(Photo: Amanda Beck)
According to residents, Annie's visits to the area began after she was found curled up next to a dead deer. The Lawrence Police Department, which was not assisting when Annie was killed because of jurisdiction, described the deer as "a wild animal with domesticated tendencies."
"Our police department did their best to protect both our citizens and 'Annie' during her visits to the Village of Lawrence," Lawrence Police Chief Paul Bianco said.
After Annie's killing, residents have flooded social media with photos and videos of the deer visiting their yards and letting them pet her. Annie's story has made its way beyond Lawrence and even the United States, and a "Justice for Annie" Facebook group has about 3,400 members who are calling for accountability and transparency.
An investigation is ongoing.