UPDATED 12/20/08 1:00 a.m. : Michelle Champy knew there was a stray dog in her neighborhood that had to be captured, but she says she didn’t know a gun would be involved.

The 36-year-old Lyons Road woman says an Orangeburg County Animal Control officer shot her in the leg with a rifle while he was chasing a stray dog in her neighborhood Thursday morning.

While she was treated and released from the hospital, Champy says she wants to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“There should be laws they have to follow before they go through a residential neighborhood shooting guns. I just thank God they didn’t hit my grandbaby. I was standing by my grandbaby. I was about to pick her up out of her swing when he shot me,” Champy said.

Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Williams says the shooting appears to be accidental, but his office is investigating whether or not any criminal action took place. Animal Control is not part of the sheriff’s office.

“We’re not looking at any criminal intent on the part of this officer here,” Williams said. “We’re in the preliminary part of the investigation and will process it accordingly.”

Animal Control Officer Reginald Wright, who is listed as a suspect on the sheriff’s office incident report, has not been charged in connection with the shooting.

Investigators will be specifically looking at “whether or not the officer followed guidelines” for subduing an animal within a residential area, Williams said.

“My main concern is the woman and her welfare,” Williams said. “But we’re also concerned about the animal itself and the means used in this incident.”

The sheriff hopes the investigation can be concluded on Monday.

“We will do our investigatory findings and turn those findings over to the administration of the public works director,” Williams said.

Orangeburg County Administrator Bill Clark said he has been investigating the matter with Earl Whalen, director of the county public works division.

Wright and the other animal control officer who was on call at the time have been placed on paid administrative leave until the investigation is complete, Clark said. That is “our standard procedure whenever we’re doing an investigation.”

“We hope to be able to wrap this up very soon,” Clark said.

Champy said while she knew Orangeburg County animal control officers were in the neighborhood, she wasn’t aware shots were being fired. And she’s especially concerned about how close the shot came to hitting her 5-month-old grandchild. Her 1-year-old niece was also in the yard.

“I knew they were out there, but they had set a trap for the dog. He didn’t tell anybody. He was just shooting. Next thing I know, I was shot. He was running through people’s yards shooting,” Champy said.

“He was running through the back of my elderly mother-in-law’s house and next thing I know, I was shot.

“My son freaked out. He was like, ‘Man, you just shot my mama!’

“He was like, ‘I didn’t shoot nobody.’”

Champy said Wright’s fellow animal control officer, who was also a first responder, immediately attended to her wound.

“I really don’t remember too much after that. I was in shock. I didn’t even remember my name. My sister had to give the cops information. I remember he (Wright) was telling my son, ‘Calm down, calm down, calm down.’ My son said, ‘How am I going to calm down and my mom is shot?’” Champy said.

Champy said, “I was released from the hospital (Thursday) afternoon, but I have to keep following up with my doctor in case infection sets in. I’ve already sought legal counsel. It just came so close to hitting my grandbaby.”

“They tried to say the bullet grazed me. It wasn’t grazing. The first responder said it was grazed, but even the crime scene unit told my husband, ‘It’s not grazing. It hit her,’” she said.

Champy will now have to stay off her leg for 10 days.

Champy’s sister, Jamie Ferguson, said she just wants the seriousness of the situation to be known.

“It was a .22-caliber rifle. It only shot her in the leg. She’s not crippled or anything, but the point of the matter is, what if that bullet had not hit her leg? My niece would be dead or seriously injured. I’d like to see him not have a job that involves firing a gun if he’s that careless. Bagging groceries might be suitable for him,” Ferguson said.

“We’re contacting an attorney. I think that would be the best thing to let them handle it. It could very easily have been someone’s life from a simple, stupid mistake,” she said.

Orangeburg County Animal Control Director Ben Boensch referred calls to Clark and Whalen. A phone number for the 49-year-old Wright was out of service.

T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5534.

You must be logged in to comment.