Dog shot at point-blank range
Omaha, NE (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Dec 2, 2008
County: Douglas
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Leon Gehrig, Sr.
Early on Dec. 1, Leon Gehrig Sr. is alleged to have shot Richard Sweet's dog, Maggie, a 240 pound Rottweiler.
Gehrig was taken into custody and charged with animal cruelty, a class one misdemeanor and second degree trespassing. Cass County Deputy Attorney Rick Fedde said Gehrig faces a pre-trial conference Jan. 7.
Tim and Geraldine Endelicato were neighbors to Sweet and knew Gehrig. They had been watching the house. Becaise Sweet was moving out of at 812 North Eighth. Tim said it was about 6:30 a.m. and he had just gotten up.
"My wife had been up for a while," Endelicato said. "Then we heard a loud bang. Then we heard Maggie, the dog next door yelping out in pain."
He wanted to run out, but thought there might be an intruder. He put on his shoes, coat and got a light. He shined his light on the house next door, thinking there might be have been an intruder. Then, he started calling out for Maggie.
"I knew she was hurt badly by the way she cried out," Endelicato said. "I thought she might have retreated back into the house, so I circled around the house back out by the alley side where her doggie door comes out of the garage. I didn't want to run into the house because I didn't know if there had been an intruder. I didn't want to mess up a possible crime scene, so I went back into the yard and called for her. I knew something really bad had happened. I scanned my light back into the yard. Then, I spotted her in the corner of the yard."
He could see she was on her back and she was bleeding. He told Geraldine that Maggie was dead and to call police. He went back out and looked around. Plattsmouth Police Officer Ryan Crick found Endelicato who said there were lights on in the Gehrig house. He showed the officer that the dog had been shot but no one tried gaining entry in the house. According to Endelicato, Crick went to the Gehrig house.
He found a 22. Caliber rifle that had been shot but was told Gehrig was not home. Endelicato said Crick told him Gehrig was not home but that the weapon that shot the dog had been found.
"Then, Leon came driving up the hill," Endelicato said. "He was trying to act like he wasn't involved until the officer told him he had found the weapon. The Leon said he shot the dog in self-defense. The officer said there was no blood in the alley, so that was not possible." Crick then took Gehrig into custody.
Endelicato said Maggie was a big dog that didn't have a mean bone in her body. If someone left her pen open, she would get out at times but could be easily called back. He said even Gehrig's children played with the dog.
"Rottweiler's can be scary dogs, but when they're close to people, they are very, very good dogs," Endelicato said.
Gehrig had a good relationship with the Sweet family and would assist them during tough times. Endelicato is not certain why things deteriorated as they did but speculates it might be over ownership of a dog kennel.
Plattsmouth Police Chief Brian Paulsen said Maggie was in a fenced yard and the gate was closed. References
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