Not only do I hope this cop gets fired, I hope he's charged with reckless manslaughter.  What kind of moron... with training... thinks this is a good idea?

A stray bullet fired by a police officer trying to shoot a snake hit and killed a 5-year-old boy fishing at a nearby pond, officials said.

Austin Haley was fishing with his grandfather, Jack Tracy, Friday evening when Tracy said he heard a shot and saw a bullet hit the water just a few feet in front of the boat dock where he was standing.

Moments later, a second shot was fired that hit Austin in the head.

A Noble police officer who had responded to a report of a snake in a tree apparently fired the deadly shot while trying to kill the snake, according to City Manager Bob Wade.

As Rachel Lucas points out:

First of all, what kind of psycho idiot calls the cops because there's a snake in a tree in a rural area? Second, what kind of cop would decide that snake needs to die? It's a fucking snake. In a fucking tree. In the fucking woods. Last time I checked, that was what I would call "a natural and acceptable situation". Third, what kind of fool - cop or not - would deduce that the best way to kill a snake in a tree would be to shoot it with a handgun? Stupid much? Fourth, what kind of asshole starts shooting at a snake in a tree without clearing the area to make sure there aren't any 5-year-olds fishing with Grandpa at the nearby pond?

This is gun training 101 folks.  Know your target, and beyond.  No excuse... absolutely no excuse for a trained officer to do something like this.