Shocking Video Of California Man Shooting Down Neighbor’s Trapped Dog Enrages The Internet [Graphic Video]
Warning: The video in this article is graphic in nature. Viewer discretion is advised.
A shocking video of a California man shooting down his neighbor’s helpless dog is riling up the internet.
Christopher Samuel, a 54-year-old Perris resident, was arrested Saturday and faces animal cruelty and firearm charges in connection to the dog’s death, reports the New York Daily News.
In a video of the incident that was filmed by the dog’s owner, Michael Lemmon, Samuel can be seen chasing Lemmon’s 2-year-old pit bull with a gun in his hand. Although the dog owner warns Samuel of the repercussions of killing the dog — even reminding him that he is on camera — the warnings appear to have little effect on the accused, with Samuel aiming his gun on the helpless dog anyway.
After a few futile attempts to discover an escape route, the scampering dog is shot down in front of the camera. The first gunshot is followed by a string of abuses, with tempers running high after Michael sees his dog being killed right in front of him.
Later, more gunshots can be heard in the shocking video, which was uploaded on Facebook by Michael’s daughter, Alexis Lemmon. Pleading her friends to share the video so the perpetrator can be brought to justice, Alexis wrote that her father’s dog was shot a second time in the head just to make him angrier.
“This man Christopher Samuel SLAUGHTERED my dads dog right in front of him. He locked him in his yard, shot him, then shot him a second time in the head to make my dad even more angry. Please do not let this murderer get away with this just because he his a social worker! This is evil and I am TRAUMATIZED, the dog wasn’t even attacking, he was running away with his tail between his legs. You do not have to watch but at least share.”
The video, which you can view in its entirety below, has been shared widely on social media sites.
Warning: Video contains graphic images.
https://www.facebook.com/alexis.lemmon/videos/984503208254320/
According to CBS Local, Michael’s pup wandered into the Samuel’s yard during a dispute between the neighbors. The cause of the feud was not immediately known, but an unidentified witness told KCAL-TV that the feud was started by the dog owner.
Even so, Samuel then trapped the dog in his yard by closing the gate.
“He closed the gate on the dog,” Wayne Lemmon, the father of the dog owner, told reporters.
Debbie Meindl-Lemmon, Michael’s stepmother, said that the death of the dog was premeditated, even going on to say that Samuel would have shot her son had he managed to get inside the premises of his neighbor’s house.
“I think he needs to do some time. I mean, that was obviously premeditated. He had the AR-15 right there. I believe he would have shot my stepson and my husband if they had walked in.”
Riverside County Department officials, who have now arrested Samuel and charged him with animal cruelty, said that he had no reason to kill the dog under the circumstances. Even if the pup had found his way to his yard, officials said, Samuel should have called animal control officers instead of shooting down the poor animal with a firearm.
It remains to be seen if Samuel faces trial for his unwarranted act of violence, but the shocking video of the dog’s death has surely disgusted the internet like never before.
[Image via Alexis Lemmon/Facebook Screenshot]