Dog shot and killed in Ogden neighborhood, police looking for suspects

Posted: Oct 29, 2018 / 03:31 PM MDT / Updated: Oct 30, 2018 / 12:04 AM MDT

*WARNING: STORY CONTAINS GRAPHIC DETAILS AND IMAGES*

OGDEN (ABC 4 News) – Residents from an Ogden neighborhood wants answers after someone shot and killed one of their dogs Sunday afternoon.

The husky belonged to John Sandberg Jr., who lives in the area of Mountain Road and Wild Rose Way.

“I’ve always wanted a husky my entire life,” said Sandberg Jr. “I adopted Maia in August from the pound. She’s just so sweet and she was really nice. She was really good with the kids. She never growled at them or nipped at them or anything.”

On Sunday, Sandberg Jr. left Maia behind with his mother. He didn’t think it was the last time he was going to see her.

“I’m an avid deer hunter so that’s why I didn’t take her with me,” said Sandberg Jr. “I didn’t want her to get shot and the irony is palpable, cause she got shot back home.”

His neighbor, Chris Calver was working on one of her duplexes down the street with her grandson when she heard a gunshot and a dog yelping.

“We saw Maia limping towards one of the driveways and she collapsed. She was bleeding through a small bullet hole through her right side,” said Calver. “It was so hard to watch her just lay there and die.”

Calver said her neighborhood is tight-knit and it’s normal for Maia and her other neighbors’ dogs to roam around. But that level of comfort is now gone, knowing there’s an unknown person out there who would shoot a dog in plain sight.

“She’s a kind dog, not aggressive. I don’t believe the dog was a threat at all to anyone. Over the few times that I’ve encountered the dog, she just comes down while we’re here,” said Calver. “Some crazy person is walking around with a gun, shooting in the neighborhood. This person is so cold blooded that they will just walk out and shoot a dog like this. I’ve got a wonder what else they would do. I am really concerned.”

Sandberg Jr. said children normally play outside in the neighborhood and if the bullet had missed Maia, he’s concerned it could have hit someone else.

He wasn’t able to return in time before Maia passed away, but feels consoled knowing his neighbors were with her in her final moments.

“That’s why I’m so grateful to the neighbors for wrapping her up and just being with her. It was the last kind thing anybody did to her,” said Sandberg Jr. “It’s just sad that we have this last awful memory to remember her by. It’s not that she went old. It’s not that she was restful or at peace. She was in a lot of pain when she died and it just makes me sick thinking about it.”

As he comes to terms that Maia is gone, he said he just wants answers.

“My mother is completely destroyed because ever since I was little, I wanted a husky. It’s been forever and I finally got one and someone took it away,” said Sandberg Jr. “What gives you the right to take my dog away? I could understand if she was harassing you, or your animals, or your children, or she was aggressive or if she was a nuisance, getting into your garbage, but she was walking home actually. You can see the trail of blood spots.”

Lt. Mike Boone with the Ogden Police Department said the incident is under investigation and they are not releasing any information at this time. He could only confirm that a dog was shot and there are currently no suspects.

If you have any information, you are asked to contact Ogden Police at 801-395-8221.