After shooting his neighbor's dog in the face in March, the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office says the investigation found that their deputy did not violate policy.

While off-duty, the deputy fired one shot from his service weapon, a .45 caliber glock, when his neighbor's dog ran toward him.

The dog's owners were upset and said their dog has been around people his whole life and has never bitten or scratched anyone.

In a press release, the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office said the deputy responded with an appropriate amount of force to protect himself from serious injury by an aggressive animal.

The sheriff's office says after being reviewed by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the Lawrence County State's Attorney's office, both agencies concluded that the deputy committed no criminal wrongdoings.