Pit bull shot
Syracuse, NY (US)Incident Date: Monday, Aug 22, 2005
County: Onondaga
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Bruce E. Moore
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
As several children and adults sat on a porch on Highland Avenue in East Syracuse on the morning of Aug 22, their next-door neighbor came outside and fired a .45-caliber handgun at their pit bull in their driveway, wounding it, the dog's owners say.
Bruce E. Moore, 53, of 423 Highland Ave., faces numerous charges, including reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of a child and cruelty to animals, East Syracuse police said.
Moore was arraigned before acting Village Justice John O'Brien and sent to the Onondaga County Justice Center in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Moore hasn't told police why he fired several shots at the dog, said East Syracuse police Chief Douglas Robertson.
The dog's owners say the attack was unprovoked.
"What was in his head?" said a distraught Jody Mulkey, the dog's owner. "He could've shot my kids."
The 11/2-year-old female dog, Jade, was treated at a local animal hospital and brought back home briefly later that afternoon. The dog, which limped slightly and had two red marks on its left front leg, was taken by Mulkey's son-in-law to Stack Veterinary Hospital on Onondaga Hill.
The dog, which weighs about 40 pounds, was in stable condition with one bullet wound through the leg, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Mulkey said her adult daughter, Brandy Hayden, and Hayden's 2-year-old son were among a group of people sitting on the front porch of 421 Highland Ave. about 10:45 a.m. when Moore came outside.
Moore stood at the top step of his front porch and started firing at Jade, who was playing with a stick in the driveway, Hayden said. The driveway, wide enough for one car, is all that separates the two houses.
After one shot hit Jade, the dog tried to run away and Moore kept shooting, Hayden and Mulkey said.
Moore was inside his house when officers from East Syracuse and DeWitt responded to the 10:48 a.m. shots-fired call. Officers, armed with semiautomatic rifles, set up a perimeter and Moore came out with his hands in the air, Robertson said.
A second occupant of the house came out of the house moments later. Both men were handcuffed and taken into custody. The second man, whose identity was not released, was not charged after police determined he had nothing to do with the shooting, Robertson said.
Police confiscated a loaded .45-caliber Glock handgun that had been fired five to seven times, Robertson said.
Moore told officers there were other weapons in his attic.
The Onondaga County Sheriff's Office bomb squad was called in after officers felt the electrical contacts and wiring on the attic door looked suspicious.
Bomb technicians conducted a sweep of the residence and determined it was safe, Robertson said. Residents from about eight nearby homes were evacuated, but allowed to go back inside after about 90 minutes.
Police found several other handguns and rifles in the attic. Moore had the necessary permits, Robertson said. .
Two or three small children were in Moore's house when the shooting occurred, Robertson said.
Moore faces five counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, one count of cruelty to animals, four counts of endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree menacing and unlawful discharge of a weapon with the village limits.
Hayden, Mulkey's daughter, said her family has never had trouble with Moore. They don't know him well enough to speak to him, she said.
"The only time we see the guy is when he takes out the trash," Hayden said.
Case UpdatesThe East Syracuse man accused of wounding his neighbor's dog Monday had previously complained about the animal to DeWitt's dog control officer. Bruce Moore, 53, of 423 Highland Ave., remained in the Onondaga County Justice Center on Wednesday in lieu of $100,000 bail. He is accused of five counts of felony reckless endangerment, and misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals, endangering the welfare of a child and menacing. He also is charged with violating a village law prohibiting discharge of firearms.
Police accused Moore of opening fire on the dog, a 1 1/2-year-old American Staffordshire terrier named Jade, while the dog's owner, Jody Mulkey, and members of her family were nearby.
Moore stood at the top step of his front porch and started firing at Jade, who was playing with a stick in the driveway that separates his home from Mulkey's home at 421 Highland, Brandy Hayden, Mulkey's adult daughter, has said. Jade tried to run away after she was hit, but Moore kept firing, police said. Moore was inside his house when police answered the call. He surrendered without incident, police said.
Moore used a .45-caliber Glock semiautomatic handgun in the shooting, police said. It and three other handguns and several rifles were taken from Moore's home. Moore had permits for the handguns. Those permits have since been revoked, said East Syracuse police Chief Douglas Robertson.
Bill Pulaski, DeWitt's dog control officer, said Moore had called him earlier in the month to complain the dog was tied up and bothering him with her barking. He said Moore didn't seem very angry.
"Generally, you can tell if they've had it (with the dog)," Pulaski said. "It was nothing like that."
Pulaski took the call either Aug.10 or 11 and spoke to Hayden, about the barking dog ordinances. Jade is properly licensed and Pulaski said Hayden seemed to understand the rules.
The family was trying to keep Jade in the backyard on a chain, but she didn't like it and would bark, Mulkey said. After Pulaski's visit, they mostly kept the dog indoors, she said.
Moore didn't call again about the dog, Pulaski said.
"That's the last I heard until (Monday)," he said.
The bullet that wounded Jade traveled up her leg and exited near her stomach. The bullet only damaged muscles, and didn't hit any vital organs, Mulkey said. The dog breed is often mistaken for a pit bull, she said.
Jade came home Tuesday because she would not eat at the animal hospital. "She's skittish of people now," Mulkey said. So far, the veterinary bill is more than $1,500 and growing because Jade will need to return to the hospital until the wounds close, Mulkey said.
The family could use some help with the bills, she said. A preliminary hearing in Moore's case is scheduled for Monday, East Syracuse Village Court officials said. Ted Stenuff was assigned to represent Moore. He could not be reached Wednesday.
Moore's daughter said family members were told not to speak to reporters. Contributions to help pay for the veterinary bill, which the family says is more than $1,500 and growing, can be sent to the Stack Veterinary Hospital, 5092 Velasko Road, Syracuse 13215. | Source: The Post-Standard - Aug 25, 2006
Update posted on Aug 31, 2006 - 3:33PM |
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