A Florida man allegedly gunned down two people — including a 11-year-old girl — over a quarrel about his dog, police said Monday.
Port St. Lucie police said a girl called 911 around 12:20 p.m. to say there was a man in her home who she thought had shot her parents after he received a court order related to the dog, TCPalm.com reported.
Cops found the suspect inside the home, where two victims had been shot, and they engaged in a shootout that left one officer injured, said Assistant Chief Richard Del Toro.
The shooter had apparently been upset when earlier on Monday his dog was declared dangerous in court.
“He went over there to confront his neighbors and this is what happened,” Del Toro said.
The alleged shooter died, though Del Toro said it wasn’t yet clear whether he had shot himself or been killed.
Another man in the home was found dead when officers arrived, and the teenage girl was injured. She died at a hospital.
The relationship between the deceased man and the girl wasn’t immediately known.
Nadine Huneault, who lives next door to the victims, told the outlet that disputes between the dog owner and her neighbors started in April.
“The shooter has a dog and it attacked the lady next door,” she said.