Man seen beating dog in Duarte arrested after turning self in; Dog taken to humane center
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies launched an investigation Thursday after receiving multiple calls in regards to a video that surface over the weekend, of a man beating a dog for several minutes at a commercial parking lot in Duarte.
They asked for public assistance in locating the man, who can be seen chasing the dog through the parking lot before kicking, hitting and dragging it by its leash.
On Friday, authorities reported that as the story garnered more traction and was more widespread, he was overcome by the pressure and turned himself in.
The dog was also taken to the local Humane Society, where it was being examined by professionals.
The tough-to-watch video first surfaced on the NextDoor app, which prompted several Duarte residents to reach out to the Sheriff's substation in Duarte.
It was so unbearable for Sergeant Steven Fiedler that he couldn't finish watching it.
"As just a human being, I couldn't stand to see a dog go through that type of torment," he said.
At one point during the video, the dog can be seen cowering on the floor as the assailant continues to land blows on its body.
"You can definitely see the tail of the dog curling underneath the body. It was shaking. It was definitely in fear," Fiedler continued.
CBS reporters also spoke with Phillip Chen, a local business owner whose business shares a parking lot with where the abuse occurred.
"I could definitely, like, start feeling like I'm about to cry," Chen said, noting how sad it is that this level of cruelty can happen. "I like to see dogs as like kids, and when people abuse their dogs like that, the dog doesn't know what to do. They just sit there. They just take it."
"It's heartbreaking because they can't do anything," he continued.
The video also shows the suspect and the dog leaving from the parking lot in what investigators have identified as an older model, gray Ford Crown Victoria, that may have had some patchwork done to the body.
They were worried that there may be other victims out there, which is why they releasing the footage to the public.
"This person does not look like this is his first time doing this," Fiedler noted. "This may not be the only animal. Someone else might be out there that's at risk."
