In Mansfield, Ohio, local police were called to Willis Avenue on the afternoon of Feb. 16 following reports of gunfire. According to Captain Randy Carver, the notification came through ShotSpotter, a gunfire detection technology deployed within the city. Upon arrival, officers were informed by residents of a shocking scene — a 2-year-old Staffordshire Terrier dog had been brutally shot and left for dead in a driveway.
Staffordshire Terrier dog sustained fractured leg, shot dead
Missy Houghton, the Richland County Dog Warden, detailed the severity of the dog’s condition. “I wasn’t aware of how bad, but I could see the gunshot along her side, so I knew that,” Houghton recounted. “And I could see that she was struggling to breathe.”
The dog — Roxy — was immediately rushed to a veterinarian, where X-rays revealed multiple projectile fragments through her torso. Moreover, the vet’s assessment indicated that Roxy had been shot from behind. Alongside the gunshot wounds, Roxy also suffered from a fractured leg due to blunt force trauma, likely inflicted around the same time as the shooting. Despite the urgent care, the gravity of Roxy’s injuries led to the difficult decision to euthanize her. Her owners were notified about the incident and the unavoidable outcome.
Investigations into the incident unveiled little in terms of leads or suspects. Mansfield police scoured the area for surveillance footage and evidence, yet findings were minimal. However, Houghton disclosed that surveillance videos, while not capturing the act itself, showed three individuals fleeing the scene immediately after the incident — believed to be juveniles.
The evidence suggested that Roxy was retreating at the time she was shot. This challenges the notion that the act was carried out in self-defense. Houghton expressed profound dismay over the incident to FOX 8 News. “It’s just very disheartening and frustrating to know that those things occur and nobody is coming forward,” said Houghton. She further added, “Somebody has to know what happened or who is responsible for it, and just the animal suffering needlessly is incredibly callous.”
