Trigger warning: This article contains videos and descriptions of violence and may be upsetting to some readers.

A disturbing video circulating on social media shows an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer killing an injured deer with an axe, drawing reactions of outrage and disgust from members of the public and animal welfare organizations.

The clip from September 3 shows police on a residential street in Kenora, Ontario, where one officer can be seen repeatedly swinging an axe to dispatch the injured animal.

The officers reportedly left the deer to suffer for a prolonged period before it succumbed to its injuries, according to witness accounts.

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Commenters are reacting with a range of emotions to the upsetting clip and the conduct of the officer seen swinging the axe.

Saw the video. He looks like a drunken redneck trying to 'dispatch' an injured deer. Your officer also lost his grip on the axe and it went flying past the other officer, luckily, missing him. Appears you've lowered OPP acceptance standards.

— Larysa Dub (@LarysaDub) September 12, 2023

The OPP has released a statement acknowledging that the force is aware of the incident, and calling it "disturbing," and saying that an investigation is underway.

The #OPP is aware of an incident in Kenora where officers attempted to dispatch a suffering deer using the side of an axe. This video is disturbing. This is not the way officers are trained or are expected to deal with this scenario. An investigation is underway. pic.twitter.com/OkoyHyt8kf

— Ontario Provincial Police (@OPP_News) September 12, 2023

However, even the OPP's statement has been met with criticism.

I can’t watch this but I can only imagine. To serve and protect doesn’t mean just humans. They sometimes even don’t do that very well. Some day. Some day. The fact that a bulletin had to be put out speaks volumes. 😿🤬

— DebbyDeb (@DwntownDebBrown) September 12, 2023

Animal welfare organization Animal Justice has filed a complaint against the OPP, and has issued a statement condemning the response.

Animal Justice explains, "the officers decided to euthanize the animal — but instead of using a safe and humane method, or calling for support, they violently struck the deer in the head with the blunt end of an axe and left her there to slowly die in agony, which took over an hour, according to local residents who witnessed the horrific incident."

"The tortured carcass of the deer remained on the street corner until the next day when a local resident moved it into a bush."

According to testimony provided to Animal Justice, "One witness said that the police hit the deer 'once and left,'" the witness going on to say that officers "pretty much took out her eye, it was pretty much gone."

The people who recorded the incident claim that the deer "suffered for a long time after [the OPP officers] left."

This is not the first case of the OPP facing allegations of animal cruelty. In a disturbing 2015 incident, an OPP officer was filmed repeatedly running over a dog with his vehicle before ultimately shooting the animal to death in Collingwood.