Dog Killed, Another Wounded In South LA Shooting
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — One dog was killed and another wounded in the foot by someone who shot at them Monday in South Los Angeles.
Several shots were fired at about 5 a.m. Monday in the area of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and South Broadway, a busy industrial area.
The dogs, whose owners have not been found, have been seen living in a nearby homeless encampment by people who frequent the area.
Moses Medina manages property along the block and says he was shocked when he saw animal services carrying away the remains of one of the two pit bulls.
"I never seen the dog aggressive or anything like that," Medina said.
It's not clear what led up to the shooting – whether the dogs had attacked someone with a gun, or if someone simply shot the dogs for no reason.
"A witness did see a person being chased by the dogs, and what they believe was that person firing shots at the dog," LAPD Sgt. William Hines said.
Either way, that person did not stay at the scene or report any sort of attack to the police. Investigators with LAPD's animal cruelty division now want to talk to that person, and check if the firearm was legally registered.
Medina says he never had any trouble with the dogs, who appeared to live in a homeless encampment that included a dog house and "beware of dog" signs on posts in the lot. A woman who sells tamales at the corner said she often heard the dogs crying like they were hungry, and never saw them attack anyone.
Police are searching for a possible owner of the dogs.
