A South Florida man was arrested Monday for allegedly trying to kill and choke a dog in Miami Beach, an arrest report said.
Louis Sepulveda, 51, is accused of punching the black Labrador and using a leash to choke the animal, the report said. Sepulveda is also accused of smashing the dog’s head and neck with the tail gate of a white Dodge Ram pickup.
The incident, which happened in the 1300 block of Ocean Drive, drew a crowd of horrified witnesses, the arrest report said. Two witnesses took the dog away from Sepulveda and detained the suspect until police arrived.
According to the arrest report, Sepulveda said the dog attacked him and he was “going to kill the dog because he had it coming to him,” witnesses told police.
Video evidence taken on the scene corroborated with witnesses’ account of what happened, the arrest report said. Sepulveda was placed under arrest and is facing an animal cruelty charge with intent to injure and kill.
No injuries were immediately apparent on the Labrador. Miami-Dade Animal Control took custody of the dog. It is currently being treated by a veterinarian.
Sepulveda's court-appointed attorney didn't respond to an email seeking comment. Online records showed he was still in jail Monday afternoon.
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The Associated Press contributed to this article.
