A Facebook post that claimed a Tyler Police motorcyle officer shot and killed a pit bull on Thursday morning has resulted in the arrest of the dog owner, who law enforcement officials say may have told his boss the story as an excuse for being late to work. 

Tyler Police Department Public Information Officer Don Martin said the 23-year-old man was arrested on a Class B misdemeanor charge of filing a false report and placed in the Smith County Jail. 

“Today a manager of a local restaurant posted on his Facebook page that a Tyler Police motorcycle officer shot his employee’s dog before he arrived at work and that he was very upset. This caused numerous social media posts against Tyler Police Department and its officers for an incident that never occurred,” Martin wrote on the department’s Facebook page.  

“There were some very vulgar comments directed at our officers and our department, and this story was fabricated and did not happen,” Martin said. 

Martin said during the investigation it was learned the dog owner had a problem with excessive tardiness to work and may have fabricated the story to avoid discipline.

Martin said people should check facts before posting them on social media sites. He added fabricating stories about police on social media sites could land a person in hot water. 

“This would have been so easy to check out, but someone just posted it on social media without checking any facts. Put simple this did not happen and a person has been arrested.”

TWITTER: @KenDeanofTyler