Neighbors are outraged and authorities are investigating after a man was captured on video shooting a deer with a bow and arrow in a residential neighborhood in Monrovia earlier this week, but the archer says there’s more to the story that depicted in the video clip.

The incident took place just before 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Alta Vista Avenue and Patrician Way, Monrovia police officials and neighborhood residents said.

The alleged shooter had been identified and contacted and visited by California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials, Monrovia police Sgt. Sarah Covarrubias said Saturday afternoon.

A warden seized the deer carcass and the hunter’s equipment pending the outcome of an investigation, DFW spokesman Andrew Hughan said. The hunter was not arrested or cited as the investigation continues.

The incident came to light Saturday morning, when local residents Chuck and Robyn Tapert realized video of the incident had been captured on their home surveillance camera.

The video depicts a man carrying a backpack and a bow hiding behind some bushes as a buck grazed on a bougainvillea plant no more than a few dozen feet away.

After setting up his equipment, the man is seen inching closer to the buck, drawing back his bow and releasing the string.

The buck is then pictured running down the street. Neighbors would soon discover a trail of blood along the path the animal took.

The hunter gathers his equipment and places it in his BMW car, which was parked nearby, before he’s seen wandering in the direction the deer traveled on foot.

“It was such a cheap shot,” Robyn Tapert said. Like all the deer in the area, which have grown accustomed to humans, “It was such a tame and trusting deer,” she said.

It’s illegal to hunt deer within city limits, regardless of the season or whether a hunter has a hunting permit, Covarrubias said.

Reached by telephone on Saturday, the 33-year-old hunter, Michael Rodriguez, said he understands why residents are unsettled by the video footage, but there is much more to the incident than the video shows.

He said he had the proper license and tag for the deer and had been hunting in a legal hunting area nearby when he took a shot at the buck, which was legal game during the current archery deer hunting season.

But the first shot was not a mortal wound and only injured the deer, Rodriguez said. The wounded buck then made its way into the residential neighborhood along Alta Vista Drive as the hunter followed.

Rodriguez said he knew he was within the 150-yard minimum distance from homes mandated by law for hunting, but felt compelled to finish off the animal. It was suffering, as well as darting into the street, posing a potential danger to drivers, he said.

Rodriguez said he waited for well over an hour until the animal positioned itself in front of a wall, so he could take a shot without fear of the arrow causing collateral damage. Once the shot presented itself, he said he took it to end the animal’s suffering, as well as to stop a potential hazard.

“I took an action which I thought was the most appropriate and ethical way of handling it,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said he promptly reported the incident to police.

Covarrubias said the man did speak with a police sergeant early Friday, but no report was generated. She added that it did not appear the full story had been conveyed to police, originally.

Hughes said the incident remains under investigation, and the DFW intends to present potential charges to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution at a later time. Potential charges include hunting too close to homes and firing a weapon within city limits, both misdemeanor offenses.

Rodriguez added that he’s a new hunter and that Thursday was his first time taking a deer. He said he planned to use the meat to feed his family.

The incident did not immediately garner attention.

The Taperts said they were walking their dogs on Friday morning when the dogs attracted their attention to the blood trail in the street.

That prompted them to begin reviewing camera footage from their home surveillance system, initially suspecting a deer may have been attacked by a mountain lion or other four-legged predator, the couple said.

Both said they were shocked to learn what had really happened.

“We love our wildlife here,” Robyn Tapert said.

Chuck Tapert said he posted photos of the incident, as well as a description of what happened, on the community social network Nextdoor. The post was subsequently shared on other social media platforms.

“All these comments started showing up. People couldn’t believe it,” he said.