PARSONS, Kan. (KOAM) – The Parsons Police Department is investigating two dogs shot in the town on Thursday.
According to a PPD release, officers responded at 11:37 a.m. to the 1500 block of Grand.
Witnesses told police that a man between 20 and 40-years-old shot a pitbull with three legs in one of those legs.
A veterinarian had to later euthanize the dog.
Garfield School administrators put the school on a partial lockdown due to how close the incident was to the school.
“The school told parents that exterior doors remained locked and manned by school personnel,” PPD said. “No persons were allowed in or out for a 45-minute period.”
An officer and K-9 assisted in trying to track the suspect. A track was established that lead to an abandoned house but no suspect was found.
A second attack on a dog happened just before 7 p.m. in the 2600 block of Stevens, about 1.6 miles from the first attack.
Another pitbull was shot once.
PPD stated that its owner took the animal to a local veterinarian. The dog is expected to survive.
No witnesses have been located for this incident.
Parsons Police asks anyone in both areas to check any home surveillance footage to see if there’s usable video that may have images of the suspect.
PPD said the suspect is wanted for felony cruelty to animals in the first-degree and discharging a firearm in the city limits.
Officers are investigating any similarities between these incidents and the attacks on dogs that happened at the end of 2021 in the Winway area of town. A $34,000 reward, plus a $5,000 reward from PETA, is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator of these felony cruelty to animal cases.
Parsons Police Deputy Chief Dennis Dodd said, “I am passionate about bringing these people to justice. The unlawful killing of animals in this city needs to stop. The two dogs yesterday were both pit bulls, and it can only be speculated that the shooter or shooters were targeting a specific breed. Until we have all of the facts we will not know for sure.”
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