A birthday party for a 5-year-old at a Commerce City home was interrupted this weekend when the family dog jumped a fence and a passerby fatally shot the dog. The incident, which "horrified" children, as well as adult guests, at the party, happened about 5 p.m. in the 14800 block East 116th Drive, according to the family whose dog was killed. "We heard a noise, it sounded like a birthday balloon popping, except much louder," said Emily Martinez, the dog's owner. People inside the home looked out the window and saw a man who was walking a dog, standing over the downed dog, named Clifford, pointing a gun at the animal. "This guy had his gun pointed down at Clifford," Emily Martinez said. "He shot him twice in the neck." People rushed from the home to help Clifford and confront the armed man. As she bent beside her dog, the man continued to brandish the gun, Emily Martinez said, pointing the weapon at her as well as others, including children. "I was screaming at him to: 'Leave!' " Emily Martinez said. "He was pointing the gun at people."
Raymond Martinez, Emily's husband, ran back into their home to grab his gun. By the time Raymond Martinez re-emerged from the home, after a couple of minutes, the man who fired the shots had left. Neighbors and party guests told the Martinez family the shooter was calling out: "I have a concealed weapon license," as he walked away.
Clifford was a 4-year-old chocolate Labrador/collie mix. He was adopted from a shelter about two years ago and hadn't had any problems or previous incidents, Emily Martinez said. The man who shot Clifford had walked his dog by the Martinez home the past two months, typically about 5 p.m., Raymond Martinez said. When he had first started walking by, the man had stopped, Raymond Martinez said, to complain about Clifford's barking. He was also concerned that Clifford may jump the fence, a split rail with mesh wire attached, Raymond Martinez said.
Martinez said he was apologetic at the time. "There was no big argument or anything," Raymond Martinez said of the earlier encounter. "I said: 'Sorry about that, Clifford is not aggressive.' " The deadly Saturday encounter could have been avoided, Raymond Martinez said. "In my mind, he could have walked somewhere else."
Commerce City police quickly responded to the home Saturday, after neighbors and guests had called 911. Emily and Raymond Martinez wrapped Clifford in a blanket and rushed him to a nearby veterinarian, where the dog died. Police are investigating the incident, the Martinez said. Commerce City police did not respond to a call seeking information and comment. The Martinez's three children were shaken by the incident. Emily Martinez said she's concerned because the man who killed Clifford knows their home. "How can we make sure he doesn't come back over here?"
And this is why, even though I grew up with guns and believe in the Second Amendment, blah blah blah, I don't agree with Concealed Carry or Open Carry or simply carrying a gun at all unless there's a valid reason...and "Because I Can" is not a valid reason. This guy, imo, was looking for a reason. "He complained about the dog barking" etc. He didn't like the dog and now he had an excuse. May he be shot by a dog as retribution.
That dude better find a new route to walk his dog. Wtf? Unhinged for sure. I can't imagine witnessing that and seeing that asshole standing over the dog with his gun. I hate people.