'I Lost My Best Friend': Home Intruder Kills St. Paul Man's Golden Retriever

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- St. Paul police are looking for a suspect they say broke into a man's home, stole an AR-15, more than $7,000 in silver, and killed his golden retriever dog.

Police say the burglary took place at around 9:45 a.m. Wednesday in the 2000 block of Margaret Street on the city's East Side. The suspect reportedly used a shovel to break in.

Homeowner Tony Kiris says he was devastated to return home and find his beloved dog dead in the home's basement.

"I lost my best friend," he said. My dog, Max. He was almost 10 years old. Never hurt a soul. The dog was a golden retriever. Just a perfect, perfect dog. I could never replace him. No matter how many dogs I bought."

Kiris says he called police, who were able to use his home's security cameras to pull footage of the suspect. He's described as a Black male with tattoos on his right cheek and hands, wearing blue jeans, a black hooded sweatshirt, and Chicago Blackhawks hat with a red brim.

"He doesn't deserve to be on the street if he's that cruel," Kiris said. "I can't imagine my dog attacked him or anything, I just think he wanted to shoot something maybe. I don't want to see this happen to anyone else."

Kiris says he believes the break-in was done at random, saying his home is on a busy corner near a local bus stop. Anyone with information is asked to call St. Paul police at 651-266-5867.

"(His arrest) would mean everything," Kiris said. "I can't imagine this happening to anyone else. To lose a dog that means pretty much everything. It's hard to explain to people who don't have dogs how much my dog meant to me, but he was more valuable or just as valuable as a child."

"You couldn't ask for a more gentle, kind dog," Kiris said. "He never left my side. He just wanted to be right next to me."