Virginia Authorities Search For Man Who Shot Dog, Left It In Parking Lot

The authorities in Virginia are actively searching for a man who shot a dog multiple times before fleeing the scene in an SUV.

The dog was found with gunshot wounds at the parking lot of Manassas Park. It had been shot at least six times around 9.26 a.m. before the suspect fled the scene in a black SUV, the Manassas Park Police Department said in a statement, ABC 7 reported.

Rafael, the man who heard at least six gunshots and witnessed the suspect drive away in the SUV, told NBC 4, "The dog, if anything, looked confused why the door closed on him."

The breed of the dog wasn’t mentioned in the police statement. Manassas Park Police transported the dog to MedVet Hospital, a specialty healthcare facility for pets for treatment.

While giving an update on the dog’s recovery, the police department said the pup was doing fine after receiving "numerous stitches from an entry and exit wound to his shoulder" and having a bullet removed from its jaw through surgery. However, the canine is likely to lose a leg because of the injuries, the statement said.

Authorities are being flooded with offers of donation for the puppy’s treatment. The Manassas Police Department said in the statement the donations will be accepted at the headquarters located at 329 Manassas Drive in Manassas Park. People can also make donations directly to MedVet by contacting them over the phone, according to the statement.

Authorities are now asking anyone with information about the suspect to come forward and help with the search.

In November 2020, an Arkansas officer was being investigated for allegedly shooting someone’s pet dog after entering the wrong home during a raid. The Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office investigator James Freeman was at Chris Coiner’s home to conduct a sex offender compliance check when he shot the 3-year-old Terrier mix named Clide in the head for barking incessantly. The officer was caught on camera shooting the dog.