Police are looking for a man who allegedly punched a small dog until he had killed it, then drove away. A witness claims that at about 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 14, he saw a dog leap out of a van in the 1600 block of East First Street in Boyle Heights, the L.A. Times reports. The man said he saw a male driver get out of the car, then punch and throw the dog against the ground until he had killed it. The driver then got back in the van and drove away, leaving the dog's body on the sidewalk.
The witness took a photo of the van, which has been described by police as a grey Dodge Caravan made between 1996 and 2000. The rear bumper is a different color than the rest of the van. The van's license plate is obscured by a bicycle in the photo.
The man has been described as a white male between 50 and 60 years old, who is about 6 foot 2 and 280 pounds. He is balding with gray hair.
Anyone with information should contact Det. Alfredo Reyes with the LAPD's Animal Cruelty Task Force at 213-486-0450. Anonymous tips can be submitted via Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
