'I have no words": Couple mourns beloved horse shot, killed inside enclosure

GROVELAND, Fla. - A Groveland couple is heartbroken and angry after their horse was shot and killed inside her enclosure. 

"I have no words. I’m mad as hell that this happened," Scott Sanders said. 

Sanders says his 15-year-old mare, named Jackie, was found dead Sunday morning with a gunshot wound.

Jackie’s baby, a black horse, was on top of her.  

"That was pretty sad to see her because she knew," Sanders said. 

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Investigators say they believe someone shot Jackie Saturday night. That’s when Sanders says he and his wife heard gunshots.

"My neighbor, he heard the same things. We don’t think nothing about it. We live out here in rural areas," he said.

Their dogs were barking too, but they had no idea Jackie had been hit until the next day. 

"When you see something like this, these animals are our life. We spend every waking moment with these animals," Sanders said. 

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The Lake County Sheriff’s Office says deputies have been talking to neighbors and looking for surveillance video that may have captured a car in the area. 

They’re also looking into whether the shooting was an accident. 

"Was someone target practicing?" said Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Fred Jones. "We would like that person to come forward." 

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Sanders says accident or not, he prays someone has the guts to come forward. 

"There’s gonna be punishment for this. I will not let this go," he said. 

Sanders told FOX 35 that he is considering moving his animals to the back of the property, and he’s purchased new security cameras.