On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, around 2 p.m., Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a home in Malone in reference to a shooting in the area. When deputies arrived, two witnesses advised they saw a man carrying a firearm that stated, “I’m going to shoot this dog.” The witnesses then heard and saw several gunshots.
Deputies determined the suspect to be Richard Allen Joiner, who is a convicted felon. Joiner stated that the dog had bit him as he was walking by the dog owner’s property. He then went to his home, retrieved a firearm, and returned to the dog owner’s property and shot into the air to “scare the dog.” The dog was located and did have bullet holes in her shoulder.
Joiner was arrested and is being charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Cruelty to Animals, and Discharge of a Firearm in Public or on a Residential Property.