Exclusive: Lauderhill Police Heighten Search For Suspect In Puppy Sledgehammer Killing
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LAUDERHILL (CBSMiami) — Lauderhill Police stepped up their search for a man who they say killed a Yorkie puppy in a fit of rage Friday night.
CBS4's Peter D'Oench followed officers exclusively as they went door to door, passing out flyers in the neighborhood of N.W. 38th Avenue and 7th Place not far from where the poodle—-a 2-year-old Yorkie Puppy named Summer Girl—-was killed at N.W. 34th Ave. and 7th St.
The flyer said there was a reward of up to $3,000 in the search for 32-year-old Darrien Green, who is wanted for armed robbery, aggravated animal cruelty and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon from the incident that occurred around 6:30 Friday night.
As officers met neighbors, one of them said, "If you have any information at all call Crime Stoppers. You will remain anonymous. There is a reward of up to $3,000."
Lauderhill Police Lt. Mike Santiago said, "We hope to drum up information from the community. They have seen this individual before. This individual does frequent the area. It is definitely a senseless act of violence. It's important that this individual answer to the particular charges so the community can move and the owner of this dog can move on and get some closure."
Anna Jackson told CBS4's Joan Murray on Monday that she was devastated by the horrible death of her precious pet.
"Nothing can bring her back to me," she said. "She is gone. She is gone. It is like a piece of me that is gone. My heart is gone with Summer Girl. This was just horrible. This was my baby. This was my baby. He knocked the breath out of my baby. I held her in my arms and there was blood coming out down my shoulders. She is gone and he needs help. He needs help. All I can say is he took a life and it was like a human life to me."
Police say Jackson was with a friend walking her puppy when they came across an angry Greene who was bashing in the windows of a car that police say belonged to his child's mother.
Police say the friend started to take photos and the poodle started barking. They say that's when Green attacked the dog with a sledge hammer and fled.
Florida Congressman Ted Deutch is pushing for passage of a bill to make animal abuse a federal crime. He said that "protecting our pets, protecting our animals" was an issue that everyone agrees on.
Lt. Santiago told D'Oench there had been no recent sittings of Green but he was hopeful that the flyers might generate some tips and calls to police and Crime Stoppers.
Anyone with information that can help should call Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS (8477).