Fla. deputy had to shoot injured deer 17 times

[September 17, 2010]  GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- A sheriff's deputy in Gainesville had to fire 17 shots to put down a deer hit by a car. The Alachua sheriff's department said the deputy was "horrified" by what happened Wednesday, and would be referred to a victim advocate.

The deputy didn't know where to shoot the animal, so he called a superior. The sergeant said to aim for the heart, behind the deer's shoulder. Instead, the deputy fired repeatedly into the stomach until the animal died.

The sheriff's department said the deputy did nothing wrong and won't be reprimanded. They now plan to train patrol staff to quickly kill a distressed animal that can't be saved, The Gainesville Sun reported.

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Information from: The Gainesville Sun, http://www.gainesvillesun.com/

[Associated Press]

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