Mountain lions are fearsome fixtures of Texas landscapes. However, they’re also vulnerable. Hunters, food scarcity, and yes, even cars, kill these big cats more than the state’s environmentalists would like. Unfortunately, it doesn’t help when a police officer crashes his patrol car into a mountain lion. And it really doesn’t help when the cop takes a picture with its corpse after “putting it down at the scene.”

The internet is fuming at a picture of a smiling Longview Police Department officer with a lifeless mountain lion in his arms

Remember those “Don’t Mess With Texas” public service announcements (PSAs)? The Lone Star State was pretty serious about keeping its highways, roads, and landscapes litter-free. Well, Texas is similarly serious about protecting its population of big cats. While the mountain lion isn’t endangered, it’s vulnerable to dangers like hunters. It’s also susceptible to cars, trucks, and SUVs on the state’s expansive road network.

Unfortunately, a police officer struck a mountain lion with his patrol car in Longview, Texas, grievously injuring the animal. The police officer stopped the Ford Police Interceptor Utility and examined the animal. According to the Longview Police Department Facebook page, “the animal was put down at the scene.” The police department cited “the extent of its injuries” for the decision.

One of the police officers on the scene posed for a picture with the animal. He had hoisted the mountain lion up and smiled for the shot. Predictably, the internet is not having it. “What a tasteless picture,” one commenter responded on the police department’s Facebook post. Another viewer responded with “Hate that he’s smiling. It’s super sad and not funny at all.”

Longview police officers called the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, including a biologist and a game warden. A game warden took possession of the animal’s body. The biologists examining the 84-lb female cat put the animal’s age at three or four years, per the Austin American-Statesman.

Tragically, this roadkill mountain lion case isn’t isolated. Mountain lion sightings in populated areas around Texas have increased exponentially year over year. It’s not just Texas, either. Californians kill dozens of mountain lions per year.