A man wanted for shooting and killing a dog Thursday night was taken into custody today and is currently in the Halifax County Detention Center without the opportunity for bond.

Roanoke Rapids police Chief Shane Guyant said Master Officer K. Williams took Jonathan Lemark Johnson into custody around 1 p.m. He is scheduled for a May 23 district court appearance.

Guyant said the killing of the dog in the Meadowbrook Trailer Park area around 7:45 p.m. was linked to an earlier call in which the dog bit a child.

The police chief said, however, there were no 911 calls about the bite and animal control was not dispatched. “We would have quarantined the dog to ensure that it did not have rabies and with further investigation could have euthanized the dog for the bite. We were not allowed that opportunity.”

The child was treated at the emergency room. The bite was not life-threatening, Guyant said.

Later Johnson, 29, of Gaston, came to Meadowbrook. The dog was shot in front of 10 to 15 people, Guyant said. Police have videos of the shooting which will be released in court, he said.

Investigation by Lieutenant M. Hunsucker developed Johnson as the alleged suspect, Guyant said earlier today. Johnson is a convicted felon following a 2022 guilty plea for felony larceny in Halifax County.

He also has a pending July 10 district court date in Halifax County for possession of stolen goods and driving while license revoked.

From the Thursday night shooting Johnson faces the following charges:

Two counts of possession of a firearm by convicted felon

Three counts of assault by pointing a gun

Felony animal cruelty

Going armed to the terror of the people

Discharge a firearm inside the city limits