Protests in Lehigh Valley town after officer shoots pet cat

NORTH CATASAQUA, Pa. (WPVI) -- One Lehigh Valley community has launched an independent investigation into the police shooting of a cat.

Protesters packed into a meeting of the North Catasaqua borough council Monday night. At that meeting, council members pledged to get to the bottom of the fatal shooting last month.

The cat, named Sugar, escaped from its house. An officer who came across the cat shot and killed it, calling it a "judgement call."

Residents are demanding that the police chief resign and the officer be fired.

One resident said, "It's scary to have a guy like that out on the street. He shouldn't even be carrying a gun in my opinion."

Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli has opened an investigation.

The North Catasaqua Police Department says it too is reviewing what took place.