Utah man charged after he shot and killed his roommate’s dog

A Taylorsville man is facing multiple felony charges after he allegedly fired a gun inside his home, killing his roommate’s dog with a stray bullet.

The 31-year-old suspect was charged in 3rd District Court with three counts of illegal discharge of a firearm, third-degree felonies; and one count each of aggravated cruelty to an animal and criminal mischief, class B misdemeanors.

According to the charges, on March 17, Unified Police received a report from a witness with whom the suspect had been on a video call. She said that she saw the suspect put a gun to his head and heard a gunshot before the call was disconnected. When officers arrived at the suspect’s home, they heard two gunshots inside.

The suspect did not answer his phone or open his door when police tried to contact him, they said, so officers sent a robot inside the home. On video, they saw the suspect with a gun. After initially refusing the officers’ orders to leave the home, the suspect eventually went outside and surrendered to police.

When officers entered the home, they found a gun, several bullet holes in the walls and a bullet hole in a window, according to the charges. Police wrote that “one of the bullets went through several interior walls and struck” the roommate’s dog, killing the animal.

A summons was issued for the suspect, and his bail was set at $17,100. He’s scheduled to appear in court on June 22.