Leesburg Man Faces Felony Charge, Prison Time After Cat Shooting

ASHBURN, VA – A 28-year-old Leesburg man was arrested Monday and faces up to five years in prison after he was charged in the shooting of a cat in Sterling in November, Loudoun Animal Services officials said.

Tyler Davis was arrested after Loudoun County officials received a tip that led to the sheriff’s department obtaining a search warrant and to arresting Davis in connection with the shooting. The cat was found in November with multiple injuries and fractures after it was shot with a pellet gun, Loudoun County Animal Services officers said. The cat was later euthanized because of the severity of its condition after being shot.

The tip that implicated Davis followed the announcement of a reward following the incident and the shooting of other cats, officials said Monday. The reward amount reached more than $8,000, which has been donated and raised by local animal welfare groups and citizens.

Davis was released on $5,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 26. A conviction of a Class 6 felony is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine up to $2,500. Any person convicted of the crime may be prohibited by the court from owning or possessing a companion pet. The shooting of other cats continues to be investigated by county officials, the release said.

“Through this investigation, we have felt the support of our community and we are relieved to be able to give them an answer in this case,” LCAS Humane Law Enforcement Chief Chris Brosan said in a news release Monday. “We remain dedicated and will continue our investigations until justice has been served for all these cats and their heartbroken families.”