The Bellingham Herald reports that this incident took place on September 13.
It says that David William Latham, 55, grabbed a rifle and crossed Verona Street in the Puget neighbourhood after a dog had been barking for hours that evening. He walked across to the backyard of Loyce Andrews and Cary Chunyk, where their dogs Molly and Kirby were outside having been fed.
The paper reports:
At the sight of a man they didn't know, the dogs ran to the fence. Then, without saying a word, Latham fired one round into Molly's chest, Andrews said. Latham turned around and slowly walked back to his home across the street. The dog's owners had never met Latham before.
Chunyk apparently confronted the man, only to be threatened with the rifle too.
Molly died as a result of the shot. Police arrested Latham that night and the Bellingham Herald reports that he was cooperative and immediately admitted what he'd done. The police told the paper they don't understand "what caused him to snap" (Latham has no criminal history either).
He said to the cops, 'Oh my God, I shot the wrong dog. As if there's a right dog.
The paper reports that bail has been set at $20,000, and says that "If he posts bond, Latham can't possess firearms, and he can't come near or contact his neighbors."