Roberto Chavez, 20, shot the dogs Tuesday night outside his home in the 43-800 block of Main Street, according to Indio police.
Just before 9:30 p.m., officers responded to multiple calls about gunfire and found several neighbors arguing in the street. Officers said the crowd refused to cooperate with the first officer at the scene and additional law enforcement was called in to assist.
An early investigation determined Chavez shot two "pit bull-type" dogs that were attacking his English bulldog, according to police. The two dogs lived across the street and escaped onto Chavez's property.
Officers said that Chavez struggled to stop the dogs before he went inside, retrieved a handgun and shot both dogs.
The dogs returned to their property and died. The bulldog was not injured. All dogs were left in the custody of their owners.
Police found the handgun — a 9 mm semi-automatic — inside a vehicle that left the scene before police arrived. The gun had been reported stolen out of Palm Desert. Chavez was arrested on suspicion of negligent discharge of a gun, possessing stolen property and carrying a loaded gun in public, according to police.
Officials with the Riverside County Department of Animal Services investigated the incident. They determined the three dogs were not registered and neither of the attacking dogs were neutered.
"This incident, unfortunately, highlights why we're always reminding dog owners, especially owners of the larger, bully-breed mixes such as pit bulls, rottweilers and German shepherds, to ensure their properties have secure walls and fences," Animal Services Director Robert Miller said in a statement.
"No one wants to see any animal suffer a serious attack."
(The Desert Sun - March 11, 2015)
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