Authorities in Florida say a man fatally shot a puppy with a pellet rifle last week as the animal was on a walk with its owner.
According to Fox News, 19-year-old Johansen Concepcion De La Ros was arrested Saturday evening on suspicion of firing the shot from the blcony of a second-story apartment.
Police say the 8-month-old pet, named Princess, began bleeding from the mouth before its owner realized what had happened.
“Princess was an 8-month-old puppy who belonged to the 8-year-old daughter of the parents who were walking it,” according to a police statement. “The family just moved to the area the prior day from out of the state.”
Authorities believe De La Ros “took a knee, lined up the cross hairs and took a shot, killing the little dog” from his elevated perch.
The animal’s owner contacted a nearby off-duty police officer from Pembroke Pines who had been driving by the scene at the time of the shooting.
Davie police released a statement on social media along with images from the scene.
Officers arrived at the location and Princess was transported to an area animal hospital where an examination revealed the pellet entered the animal and traveled through its chest.
The suspect “was located in the apartment and the rifle was recovered,” police said.
Officers reported that one witness told them De La Ros told him in Spanish that he was “going to shoot the dog.”
He is expected to face criminal charges including felony cruelty to animals.
[Featured image: Johansen Concepcion De La Ros, Davie Police Department]