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Father: Deer Shooting By Officer Traumatized Boy

EAST LANSING (WWJ/AP) - A Michigan man says his 7-year-old son was traumatized and his car was hit with blood splatters when a police officer shot an injured deer that had been struck by a vehicle.

Mike Malott told the Lansing State Journal he was driving in East Lansing around 8 p.m. Tuesday with his windows down and his son in the front passenger seat. The East Lansing man said he didn't notice the injured deer or police on the side of the road until he heard gunshots.

Malott said he then saw blood splatters on the inside of his windshield and blood on the outside of his car.

"The police officer unloaded a whole clip into the deer," he said. "A bullet fragment could have easily ricocheted from the animal and struck my son, who I'm most concerned about."

East Lansing police Capt. Kim Johnson said a patrolman obtained permission from a supervisor to kill the injured animal before shooting. Johnson said the department will interview the officers involved and review video of the shooting to assess what occurred.

At the time of the shooting, Malott said several vehicles were behind him and others were heading in the other direction on the road.

"I don't want an animal suffering, but the fact that they did this when traffic was going in both directions, obviously there's a danger there," Malott said.

TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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