WPBN: A man named James Robert Peterson, who is 37 years old and is from South Carolina, is currently being charged with a federal offense for allegedly shooting and killing a police K-9 during an incident that occurred earlier this summer.
Over the course of the 11th of June, the authorities had been attempting to serve a warrant for burglary against Peterson in Newberry County. Law enforcement personnel arrived at Peterson’s mother’s residence, where a police K-9, a Belgian Malinois mix named “Coba,” traced him to a location inside the home, as reported by WIS. Peterson was found inside the residence.
During the time that law enforcement was closing in, Peterson is accused of shooting the K-9, Coba, as well as firing at the cops. After receiving a reaction, law enforcement officials fired fire, causing Peterson to be hit. Coba, the police dog, passed away shortly after being brought to an emergency veterinarian, despite the best efforts of the officers who were working with him.
Since 2021, the dog had been employed by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and he was well-known not only for his effectiveness in locating suspects but also for his assistance in law enforcement endeavors.
As a result of the incident that occurred in June, Peterson was charged with multiple offenses at the state level.
These offenses include cruelty to a police dog, breach of peace, possession of a weapon by a person convicted of certain crimes, resisting arrest with a deadly weapon, and four counts of pointing and presenting a firearm at a person. The allegations against him were brought about as a result of his actions during the service of the warrant and the subsequent shooting.
Additionally, Peterson has been indicted on new charges by the federal government as of the 13th of December, which is six months after the occurrence.
Peterson is being charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the SLED, which has reported on the situation. Peterson may be sentenced to a maximum of fifteen years in prison if he is found guilty of this federal felony.
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In connection with the investigation, Scarlett Boyd, Peterson’s mother, was also taken into custody and charged with obstructing law enforcement.
Authorities claim that Boyd lied to officers during the original attempt to serve the burglary warrant by claiming that she had not seen her son when they arrived at the property. This is according to the allegations made by the authorities.
The documents from the jail indicate that Peterson is still being held as of December 13, indicating that he is still being held in custody.
