The actor Angie Harmon has accused a driver for the grocery delivery service Instacart of shooting her family’s beloved dog to death over the Easter holiday weekend.
Harmon, who is best known for her role on the NBC television series Law & Order, shared details of her family pet’s killing at her North Carolina home in a viral post on Instagram.
The post describes one of many cases in the US, where there are more guns than people, that started off with a relatively mundane activity – the drop-off of a grocery order – yet devolved into a deadly shooting.
“This Easter weekend a man delivering groceries for Instacart shot & killed our precious Oliver,” Harmon wrote.
Harmon – also known for starring in the TV show Rizzoli & Isles – said that the Instacart driver exited his vehicle, delivered the family’s groceries and then shot Oliver the dog on Saturday afternoon.
According to Harmon, the man claimed that he shot the dog in self-defense, and police did not arrest him. But Harmon said that the man “did not have a scratch or bite on him nor were his pants torn”.
The family’s Ring surveillance camera was charging at the time of the shooting, meaning the device did not capture video of the dog’s killing.
Harmon added that the man appeared to be shopping for Instacart under a false identity.
In a statement to NBC News, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department confirmed several details about the shooting described by Harmon.
Police confirmed that the deliveryman who shot the dog told officers it was done in self-defense.
“[The Instacart driver] told officers that a dog attacked him while he was at the residence and that he defended himself by firing a single gunshot, striking and mortally wounding the dog,” police said in a statement. “Another dog was present at the residence but did not attack.”
Authorities told NBC that no arrests were made and that no charges were recommended.
In a statement to the Guardian, Instacart confirmed the shooting took place and added that the delivery driver “was immediately suspended” from the delivery service.
“We have been in direct contact with the customer and are cooperating with law enforcement on their investigation,” the company said.
Harmon has said that the shooting has left her and her family “traumatized”.
“To the man who took Ollie from us: your actions are despicable and inexcusable,” Harmon said in subsequent Instagram post.
She also wrote: “You’e not only robbed us of a beloved member of our family but you’ve traumatized us beyond measure.”