Grandfather, 70, and His Dog Fatally Shot After the Pet Got in a Fight with Another Canine at a Park By Latoya Gayle

A grandfather and his dog are dead after they were allegedly shot by a fellow pet owner at a park in Georgia.

Terry Loden and his wife, Cheryle Loden, were walking their dogs at Simpson Park at around 3:30 p.m. local time on Sunday, Dec. 21, when they came across another man walking a dog, Atlanta News First reported.

The man allegedly shot the couple’s canine, Jesse, as Terry, 70, was attempting to pull the pet away from the other dog after the animals got in a fight.

“Man, what are you doing?” Cheryle recalled Terry asking moments before the man allegedly opened fire, Atlanta News First reported.

The couple’s granddaughter had been on the phone with Terry at the time and heard him being shot, per the outlet.

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Recalling her actions after her husband was shot, Cheryle told Atlanta News First, “When he fell, I just said, ‘I gotta call 911. I gotta call 911.’ And [the shooter] just said, ‘Yeah, you do that.’ ”

She also told the outlet that the alleged shooter paced around for a while before driving away from the scene.

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The Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) identified the suspect as Todd Alexander Stalcup later that afternoon, according to a news release shared on Facebook.

Investigators said they believe that Terry and Stalcup, 52, didn’t know each other and “were walking their dogs in the park when the dogs began fighting.”

Stalcup was brought into custody around 15 minutes after the shooting as he was attempting to leave the park, according to the HCSO. 

Stalcup is being held without bond in the Hall County Jail and has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, per police.

The HCSO confirmed that, despite having been rushed into an ambulance following the shooting, Terry died at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, and his dog also didn’t survive the injuries sustained. 

Terry’s family has since called the fatal shooting “senseless and unprovoked,” per Atlanta News First.

“He was awesome. He’d give his last penny and do anything for anybody. He was an awesome person,” Cheryle said of her husband. 

The Hall County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for further information amid their ongoing investigation on Saturday, Dec. 27.