HOMETOWN, IL — A family says that while rounding up their loose puppy, a police officer arrived and shot it in the head, in its own yard, in close proximity to several onlookers, the owner, and a horrified child.

Apollo the dog, a 1-year-old shepherd-mix, had briefly gotten out of its yard on June 25th, 2014, and was being corralled his family. Owner Nicole Echlin and her 6-year-old daughter had already gotten Apollo to come back to their yard when a representative from the Hometown Police Department arrived in front of their house.

Instead of assisting the family in tying up the dog, or doing anything resembling public service, Officer Robert Norris drew his gun. The quiet residential street was rocked when the officer abruptly shot dog in the head. NBC interviewed witnesses and reported the story: