A Richmond, Ind., man claims a police officer who responded to an accident involving a young deer handed his loaded gun to a civilian to euthanize the badly injured animal.

Richmond Police said this week an investigation is ongoing into the reported incident, which Jerry Anderson said took place Saturday in front of his home. Anderson said the officer arrived at the scene after a young woman struck the deer on Chester Boulevard. Anderson said the deer was injured badly, was suffering and needed to be shot. He said a small group of people had gathered at the scene.

Anderson said he had gone inside his home to retrieve his pistol to shoot the deer and was surprised to find someone else in the act of shooting the animal.

"I went inside to get my gun, and when I came out, my wife told me that (the officer) said he couldn't do it," Anderson said. "She said he had tears in his eyes, and he handed his gun to a stranger — his loaded gun."

Read the full Indianapolis Star story.