City official arrested for shooting dogs near school - KFDA - NewsChannel 10 / Amarillo News, Weather, Sports

HOOKER - The Blackmer Municipal Golf Course in Hooker is surrounded by schools and homes. Residents say two stray dogs roamed the area for months before being shot dead.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by NewsChannel 10, Hooker Police Chief R.E. "Buddy" Holbert, City Superintendent Forest "Frosty" Osborn, and two other city employees were sent to the golf course back on December 10th to catch the dogs with a tranquilizer gun.

The officials could not get close enough to the dogs to hit them with the tranquilizer gun, but later found the dogs dead. Holbert said that he and the other city employees were "shocked to find the dogs had been shot and not tranquilized."

Osborn admitted to shooting the dogs with a firearm he carries in his city vehicle.

In the arrest affidavit, Osborn said "that although no one has ever authorized him to carry a firearm in his city vehicle... no one has ever said he couldn't carry one."

Several area residents were outraged because the of the close proximity of Hooker Public schools and residential neighborhoods.

But the Texas County Sheriff's Department concluded that "there is no evidence to support the accusation that Osborn shot towards the schools in a reckless manner."

They did include however that his actions disrupted the community, warranting two charges of outraging public decency. Osborn was arrested on those charges Friday.

Osborn and his attorney declined to comment, but many area residents say the charges are a mere slap on the hand for what should be an animal cruelty charge.

Those residents declined to speak on camera, saying they were disturbed but didn't want to cause more tension in their small town.

Osborn bonded out jail for $2,500 and is already back on the job.

If convicted of the outraging public decency charges, he could face up to $2,000 in fines and two years in jail.