STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. – A Sterling Heights man could face criminal charges for shooting his neighbor's dog after he said the dog charged him.
James Geilll told Local 4 he is amazed his dog one-year-old Rottweiler Diablo survived the shooting.
"They kept calling him a miracle. They've never seen anything like it. I mean he's got four huge holes in him, in his chest," said Geill.
The shooting happened after Diablo crawled under a fence and into his neighbor's yard. The 36-year-old neighbor said his wife was in the back yard and he was in front of the house when he heard his wife screaming.
"I'm going to work and about the same time I hear her scream my name loud. So, I run around to the back of the house," said the shooter. "When it (the dog) ran towards me I discharged my weapon, twice hitting it, and it kept coming, I hit it two more times."
"I'm screaming at him please dude, don't shoot my dog, don't shoot my dog. And he goes get your (expletive) dog out of my yard. He scared my wife," said Geill.
The shooter said his wife had gone back inside before he pulled the trigger.
"I think any reasonable person would have reacted the same way if they're being charged in their yard by a full blooded Rottweiler," said the shooter.
There are two key questions to the investigation; did the shooter come out of his house and did he chase after the dog?
Although his view was partially blocked, the dog owner said he could see the shooter pursuing the dog.
"He just chased the dog and just randomly went bang, bang, bang, bang," said Geill.
The shooter said he never ran after the dog.
Police told Local 4 there are also conflicting reports that the shooter came out of the safety of his home, but the shooter said he was already outside, and he had a firearm because he has a CCW permit.
"I've got small children here, and the fact that he's running and gunning like that," said Geill
Police have ticketed Geill for his unlicensed dog running loose.
"My dog has never been mean or violent or crazy ever," said Geill.
Now the prosecutor is reviewing possible charges against the shooter for attempted killing and torture of an animal and reckless discharge of a firearm.