Convicted felon shot dog in Roanoke Rapids, police said

ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C. (WNCN) – A man is facing charges after shooting a dog, Roanoke Rapids police said Friday.

On Thursday around 7:48 p.m., officers said they were called to the area of ​​Meadowbrook Trailer Park for reports that a man was shooting an animal with a rifle.

When they arrived, they said they found a brown dog that had died from a gunshot wound.

According to investigators, 29-year-old Johnathan Lemark Johnson of Gaston shot the dog after an argument about the dog biting a child.

They said Johnson returned to the scene after the argument and shot the dog, ultimately killing it.

Johnson is a convicted felon who previously pleaded guilty to a theft in Halifax County in 2022, according to police.

Investigators said they had collected evidence and issued arrest warrants for Johnson.

Around 1 p.m. Friday, police said they arrested Johnson.

Johnson is accused of:

• Two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon
• 3 counts of assault with a pointed firearm
• Crime, animal cruelty
• To take armed action to the horror of the people
• Discharging a firearm within city limits

According to police, he was not granted bail as he was already out on bail for other charges under the Pretrial Integrity Act of 2023.

Johnson is scheduled to appear in court on May 23.