Report: Warrant requested for man after dog shot in Springfield alley

Springfield police are investigating after a dog was reported shot over the weekend.

Officers were dispatched around 1:25 a.m. on Sunday to the 1000 block of East Street on a report of a dog being shot, according to a Springfield police report.

Dispatch told officers that the person of interest was a man who reportedly ran through an alley near the house in an unknown direction.

When police arrived, they spoke with one of the dog’s owners who showed them her 6-year-old American Pit Bull that had been shot in the mouth.

“The dog was having difficulty breathing, coughing blood and bleeding profusely from the face area,” the report said.

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The dog’s other owner said he let the animal outside off a leash and he ran to the western part of the property towards a public alley where a man and woman were walking.

“As the dog ran towards them, (the owner) stated that he informed them that the dog would only bark but would not bite. However, (the owner) saw the male fire one round at his dog,” the report said.

After hearing the gunshot, the owner said his dog ran back to him while the man ran south through an alley and the woman ran west.

“(The owner) said that he briefly chased after the male but realized that he would not be able to catch him,” the report said.

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A short time later, officers were able to find the woman less than a block away. She said she and the man, who she identified, feared the dog would bite them.

After the dog was shot, the owner attempted to care for him as well as the officers, the report said.

“After doing this, (the owner) transported his dog to an emergency vet clinic. However, the officer was later notified that the dog did not survive the incident,” the report said.

According to the report, a warrant was requested for for the man for animal cruelty and discharging a firearm on a public road or street.

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