TAMPA, Fla. — A 17-year-old was arrested for shooting at two dogs, killing one, during an attempted robbery last week, Tampa police announced Thursday.
The agency says the teen is believed to be linked to other armed robberies in Hillsborough County.
Tampa Police Chief Mary Elizabeth O'Connor said during a news conference that he was taken into custody on a warrant by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office for robbery unbeknownst that he was connected to the shooting.
O'Connor says the 17-year-old was seen on surveillance cameras in a black Volkswagen SUV, as a passenger, circling the block before and after the shooting.
"We stopped the Volkswagen he was in that night because it matched the description of the SUV and he was linked to some other armed robberies in Tampa that are still under investigation," O'Connor said.
The chief said that the teen initially bonded out on Sunday, but was arrested again on Thursday at his Tampa home.
The teen was charged with felony aggregated assault, felony robbery with a firearm, felony aggregated battery with great bodily harm, two counts of felony aggregated cruelty to animals, and a minor in possession of a firearm.
Police said on Friday the victim was walking his two dachshunds near West Powhatan Avenue around 7 p.m. when the 17-year-old came up behind him, pointed a gun and demanded money.
The two dogs reportedly became agitated and were moving around when the teen shot both dogs and killed one of them.
The police say as the victim was running away, the teen shot at him twice.
"The victim and his wife said these dogs were their babies. They were their beloved pets. They were the children they never had," the chief said.
10 Tampa Bay is not naming the teen in this story because of his age.