A Hennessey police officer has been placed on paid leave as multiple investigations of his alleged shooting of a family pet are ongoing.

“Officer Baxter has been placed on paid administrative leave while we conduct our internal investigation,” Hennessey Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman confirmed with the Times & Free Press Friday morning.

That’s in reference to HPD officer Tyler Baxter.

A family alleges he shot their pet Corgi named Ace last weekend.

According to reports, the dog got away from the home of Austin and Hannah Whittenburg, who live near U.S. Highway 81 and Conoco Road south of Hennessey.

A woman found the dog and turned it over to a member of the Hennessey Police Department, according to reports.

According to multiple reports, a family member says Baxter was that officer and that he admitted to the Whittenburgs that he shot the dog.

Word of the alleged incident began to spread earlier in the week, prompting the internal investigation Tillman alluded to in her statement.

Hennessey Police Chief Aaron Pitts also confirmed there is an internal investigation ongoing.

“We are looking into it, but can’t release any information at this time,” Pitts said. “We hope to have a resolution as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, the Kingfisher County Sheriff’s Office is also investigating the incident.

Sheriff Dennis Banther told the Times & Free Press that the investigation would pick up steam this week as the Whittenburgs have been out of town and weren’t available late last week for interviews.

Banther said, among other things, his office will be reviewing the Hennessey Police Department’s policies regarding such a situation.

“We’ll be looking into the police department’s policies and procedures as far as how to handle when animals are brought to them,” he said. “We’ll see what their standards are and if they were followed.”

Banther noted most municipalities have some form of animal control policy in place.

“We will make sure they had something enforced that the offi cer could have used instead of taking it out to the country and shoot it, which is what’s being alleged in this case,” Banther said.

Pitts recently won an election to succeed Banther as sheriff.

He’s slated to take office in January 2025 as Banther is retiring effective at the end of this year.

Pitts spoke to Kingfisher Lions Club on Thursday and said while he couldn’t address the specifics of an internal investigation, he noted that animal control at Hennessey no longer falls under the purview of the police department.

Tillman will have the final say if there is any further disciplinary action against Baxter.

Several years ago the Hennessey Board of Trustees gave the town administrator authority to hire, fire and handle disciplinary matters for town employees.

Tillman said she works with all of her town’s department heads in making such decisions.

Banther told the Times & Free Press that Kingfisher County Assistant District Attorney Jimmy Bunn has already recused himself from the case so his office will turn over its findings to the district attorney in Canadian County.