Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Dog shot by security guard

Dog shot by security guard
Fredericksburg, VA (US)

Incident Date: Saturday, Oct 28, 2006
County: Fredericksburg City
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted
Charges: Misdemeanor

Abuser/Suspect: Mathias Akpa Acholi

Upcoming Court Dates:
» Wednesday, Oct 31, 2007: jury trial

Case Updates: 6 update(s) available

Case ID: 9891

Classification: Shooting

Animal: dog (non pit-bull)

View more cases in VA (US)

Animal was offleash or loose

Seven years ago, Barbara Krech named her puppy "Socks" because she had white paws. Those paws were red with blood on the night of Oct 28 after Krech's beloved dog was shot outside her home at the Wellington Woods apartment complex in Fredericksburg by a security officer who was patrolling the complex.

The dog was shot twice in the left side, police said. The 7-year-old boxer died a short time later and Krech and many of her neighbors are furious.

"I'm outraged," said Maegan Wells, who lives in an apartment above Krech. "My 5-year-old son adored that dog."

"I have no idea why something so stupid could have happened," neighbor David Mack said. "Everyone knows that dog and the dog has never shown any aggression."

Krech said she was home that night when a friend who was visiting took Socks outside to urinate in some nearby rose bushes. Krech said Socks has followed a similar routine since she moved to the complex six years ago.

Krech said the next thing she heard was "pow! pow!" She said her friend, a Hispanic man who speaks broken English, returned to the apartment and said "Barbara, Barbara the Socks the security shoot."

Socks staggered back to the apartment, a trail of blood following the 70-pound dog from the rose bushes to the couch. She was taken to an animal hospital, where she died.

Fredericksburg police investigated the incident and filed no charges against the security officer, who works for a firm called Remote Surveillance Technology Solutions.

Police spokesman Jim Shelhorse said the brief police report quotes a witness saying that the dog was walking toward the security officer shortly after 9 p.m. when she was shot.

Shelhorse would not release the security officer's name because he was not charged.

But witnesses at the complex insisted that the dog made no aggressive move that night or before. One woman gave a written statement in which she claimed the dog was still urinating when she was shot.

Mack said the man who was with Socks was standing so close that blood from the dog spurted onto his pants.

Spokespersons for the apartment management and the security firm would not comment on the situation.

A sergeant with the security firm referred a reporter to the city police report. A woman who answered the phone at the apartment complex said discussing the issue would violate the complex's confidentiality policy.

Residents had plenty to say Monday, expressing both anger and sorrow about the dog's demise. A number of people stopped by to offer Krech their condolences, and some even brought cards and flowers.

"I can't believe he shot my dog," a sobbing Krech said while men cleaned blood from her carpet and sofa.

"We're hurting," said her brother, Gary Fritter. "We've lost a family member, and we don't believe there was any reason for it to happen."

Case Updates

Court contact information for this case is as follows:

Courthouse:
Fredericksburg Circuit Court
815 Princess Anne Street
Fredericksburg, VA 22402
Phone: 540-372-1066
Commonwealth's Attorneys' Office:
Phone: 540-372-1040

Court Date: October 31, 2007 Jury Trial
Case # CR07000-402-00

Prosecutor:
Charles Sharp
P. Box Box 886
Fredericksburg, VA 22404
Phone: 540-372-1040
Fax: 540-372-1181

Judge:
John W. Scott, Jr.
P. O. Box 7326
Fredericksburg, VA 22404
Phone: 540-372-1171
Fax: 540-372-1174

Source: Case # CR07000-402-00
Update posted on Sep 26, 2007 - 1:55AM

Back to Top

Mathias A. Acholi, 40, of Maryland, received four months to serve after Judge John R. Stevens found him guilty of three misdemeanors in connection with the Oct. 28, 2006 killing of a 7-year-old female boxer named "Socks."

Sara Hilliard, who lived in the apartment above Socks' owner, was the key witness against Acholi. She said the dog was urinating when she was shot and made no aggressive move toward Acholi or anyone else.

Acholi was found guilty of illegally discharging a firearm, reckless handling of a firearm and animal cruelty following a trial in Fredericksburg General District Court that lasted more than three hours. He was cleared of a fourth charge, maliciously shooting a companion animal.

However, Acholi immediately appealed the convictions and will remain free at least until his case is decided in Circuit Court.

Socks' owner, Barbara Krech, testified that she and the dog had lived in Wellington Woods about seven years when the shooting took place.

A friend of Krech's, Abraham Bustamante, took the dog out to a nearby rose bush so the dog could relieve itself. It was a routine Socks had followed for years, she said.

Krech, who sobbed through much of her testimony, said that moments later she heard two shots, followed by Bustamante running into the apartment shouting, "The Socks. The Socks. The security shoot the Socks!"

The dog had been shot in the mouth and in the side. She was put to sleep a short time later at a veterinarian's office.

Officer Joseph Young testified that Acholi told him that night that the dog was coming toward him and he felt threatened.

But Hilliard, who said she was smoking a cigarette on her balcony, said Socks didn't go near the guard. She said the dog was at least 25 to 30 feet from Acholi when she was gunned down for no apparent reason.

Defense attorney John O. Iweanoge tried to discredit Hilliard, suggesting that she held a grudge against Acholi because he'd said something to her and some friends earlier in the evening for blocking a stairwell.

"This man was defending himself," Iweanoge said. "It defies logic for him to fire unprovoked at a dog that is urinating."

Commonwealth's Attorney Charles Sharp said Acholi's action did defy logic. He said Socks was already severely wounded and dragging herself home when Acholi shot her again.

"What he did was outrageous," Sharp said. "He had no regard for this animal. To him it was just a dumb dog."

Stevens sentenced Acholi to a total of 18 months in jail with all but four months suspended. He also fined him $500.

Acholi still works for Remote Surveillance Technology Solutions, but no longer works at the apartment complex.

The case has been appealed and the matter is scheduled for trial on October 31st in Circuit Court.

Source: The Free Lance - Star
Update posted on Sep 17, 2007 - 8:33PM

Back to Top

The security guard accused of gunning down a family pet at a Fredericksburg apartment complex will go on trial late this summer.

Mathias A. Acholi faces charges of cruelty to animals, malicious shooting of a companion animal, reckless handling of a firearm and willfully discharging a firearm in a public place. The charges stem from the October 2006 fatal shooting of a 7-year-old dog.

Socks was a female boxer that belonged to Barbara Krech, who lives in the apartment complex.

Krech said she was in her home when a friend who was visiting took Socks outside to urinate in some nearby rose bushes. Krech said Socks has followed a similar routine since she moved to the complex six years ago.

Krech said the next thing she heard was shots fired and her friend shouting hysterically that the dog had been shot. Socks was rushed to an animal hospital, where she died.

Acholi is scheduled for trial on August 29, 2007, at 9:00 a.m. in Frederickburg Circuit Court.

Source: Case # CR07000-402-00
Update posted on Jun 1, 2007 - 2:41PM

Back to Top

The case against Mathias Acholi has been transferred up to Circuit Court. The former Wellington Woods security guard faces mulitiple charges stemming from the shooting death of a 7-year-old female boxer named "Socks" in October 2006. A trial date has not yet been set.

Source: Fredricksburg County Court
Update posted on Mar 30, 2007 - 5:25PM

Back to Top

The security guard accused of gunning down a family pet at a Fredericksburg apartment complex will appear in court next on March 29, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. He faces misdmeanor charges of cruelty to animals, malicious shooting of a companion animal, reckless handling of a firearm and willfully discharging a firearm in a public place.

Mathias A. Acholi is accused of shooting a 7-year-old boxer named "Socks" in October, 2006 at the Wellington Woods Apartment complex.

Socks was a female boxer that belonged to Barbara Krech, who lives in the apartment complex.

Krech said she was in her home when a friend who was visiting took Socks outside to urinate in some nearby rose bushes. Krech said Socks has followed a similar routine since she moved to the complex six years ago.

Krech said the next thing she heard was shots fired and her friend shouting hysterically that the dog had been shot. Socks was rushed to an animal hospital, where she died.

The shooting outraged residents at the apartment complex and animal advocates all over the country. Many of them contacted city police to demand a thorough investigation.

Source: Case # GC06009214-00
Update posted on Mar 9, 2007 - 11:47PM

Back to Top

The security guard accused of gunning down a family pet at a Fredericksburg apartment complex has been charged with four misdemeanors.

Mathias A. Acholi, 40, of Arlington is accused of shooting a 7-year-old boxer named "Socks" Saturday night at the Wellington Woods Apartment complex off Lafayette Boulevard.

The shooting outraged residents at the apartment complex and animal rights activists all over the country. Many of them contacted city police to demand a thorough investigation.

Acholi, who works for Remote Surveillance Technology Solutions, was arrested yesterday and placed in the Rappahannock Regional Jail under a $5,000 bond.

According to a city police press release, Acholi is charged with cruelty to animals, malicious shooting of a companion animal, reckless handling of a firearm and willfully discharging a firearm in a public place.

All four charges are Class 1 misdemeanors and each carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Socks was a female boxer that belonged to Barbara Krech, who lives in the apartment complex.

Krech said she was in her home Saturday night when a friend who was visiting took Socks outside to urinate in some nearby rose bushes. Krech said Socks has followed a similar routine since she moved to the complex six years ago.

Krech said the next thing she heard was shots fired and her friend shouting hysterically that the dog had been shot.

The 70-pound Socks staggered back to the apartment, a trail of blood following her from the rose bushes to the couch. She was taken to an animal hospital, where she was put down as the result of extensive internal injuries.

Family members said the dog was shot in the face and in the side. Residents in the complex almost unanimously described the dog as friendly and nonaggressive, and witnesses to the shooting said the dog was urinating and doing nothing wrong when she was shot.

Representatives of the security company and the apartment complex have declined to comment on the incident.

Though city police got numerous calls regarding the incident, Capt. Rick Pennock said police were not pressured into making an arrest.

"We had planned to do a thorough investigation [even before the shooting made the news]," Pennock said. "We take very seriously any willful taking of life, as well as the discharging of a firearm in a public place."

Persons demanding justice for Socks came from the Fredericksburg area and from far away.

Thea Verdak, head of the Rappahannock Humane Society, said, "We are deeply concerned about the boxer who was shot and killed.

"Fredericksburg is a great dog city and people should feel comfortable about going out and letting their animals relieve themselves without getting shot."

Dawn Bechtold runs an Atlanta-based organization called United States Animal Protection that she said has about 800 members nationally.

"My members are outraged. There's no reason for these people's companion animal to have been shot," she said.

Bechtold said these types of incidents "happen all the time and it's time somebody did something about it."

Meanwhile, the dog's family say they are overwhelmed by the support they've gotten since news of the dog's demise became public. They said people continue to stop by with cards, flowers and encouraging words.

"It was a very painful thing to lose a pet that way," said Gary Fritter, Krech's brother. "But it's nice to know that so many people care."

Source: The Free Lance Star - Nov 3, 2006
Update posted on Nov 3, 2006 - 7:46AM

Back to Top

Neighborhood Map

For more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.

Add this case to:

Del.icio.us

Digg

Furl

References

The Free-Lance Star - Nov 1, 2006

« VA State Animal Cruelty Map

Not sure what these icons mean? Click here.

Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.

For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.

Site Map ¤ Disclaimer ¤ Privacy Policy

Dog shot by security guardFredericksburg, VA (US)

Case Updates

Neighborhood Map

References

Dog shot by security guard
Fredericksburg, VA (US)