'He wouldn't hurt a fly': Goldendoodle shot by neighbor in Florida sparks outrage, investigation underway

    BREVARD COUNTY, Florida (WESH) -- A shooting at a Brevard County apartment complex left other dog owners shaken.

The sheriff's office confirmed the shooting happened on Nov. 30. The 1-year-old Goldendoodle, named Maui, is in critical condition.

Neighbors including Donnie Rouse described the area around his apartment complex on Shadow Creek Trail as a family-friendly "safe zone," but now, he and others are left fearing for their safety.

"It [Maui] didn't deserve a death penalty. You know, it didn't deserve to be shot like that," Rouse said.

WESH 2 News obtained the incident report from the sheriff's office. Witnesses say the shooting happened when Maui’s owners were walking him back from the Town Center Dog Park. They say Maui slipped from his leash and approached another dog. That’s when, according to witnesses, the other dog’s owner shot Maui.

The sheriff’s office confirmed both dog owners received citations, but no arrests have been made.

"He's [Maui] always around. We always see him. He's just the friendliest dog. He wouldn't hurt a fly, and he's part of that family. Like, I don't understand how they can do something like that and get away with it," Stephanie Avon, another local resident and dog owner.

In an update posted online, Maui's loved ones say he has undergone extensive medical care, including critical surgery to reconstruct his trachea. The dog is still on oxygen and has blood in his lungs.

In a statement, the man who shot Maui explained in part, "I was walking my dog, Free, my Golden Retriever, south along Rodina Drive around 8 pm when I spotted a barking dog with extreme aggression running towards us from across the street at full speed from the Town Center Dog Park. When the dog tried to attack Free, I got between both of them. I told the owner to secure her dog, but she would not. In fact, she was afraid of her dog, and then I became afraid. She would not grab her dog. When the dog could not attack Free, I then became its target. Before I go further, let me say that the level of aggression in this dog, as it was roaming unbounded, indicated that I was infringing on its territory.

"I withdrew my weapon, anticipating a direct attack on myself. When the dog leaped towards me, about 1 foot from my person, I fired a single shot centered at its neckline as I was stepping backward to remove my body from its mouth. How could I have shot a dog at this angle if it didn’t jump at me, given the height difference? It was a textbook shot against an attacking animal."

man shot dog brevard'You have evil in your heart': Rockledge man accused of shooting, killing dog over power outage However, neighbors and witnesses dispute this claim, saying the shooting was unprovoked. Many are calling for the man to be removed from the community.

"I hope some justice is served, and I hope our community can feel safe to walk with our dogs," said Angella Decker, a neighbor and dog owner.

The investigation is ongoing. The sheriff's office says Maui's owners received a citation for him being off a leash. The other dog's owners were cited for its county tags.