Man killed in apparent dispute over dogs stolen from breeding kennel, Texas cops says

A dog breeder’s friend was fatally shot during a meeting with three men suspected of stealing multiple dogs from a breeding kennel, Texas authorities say.

Now the Harris County Sheriff’s Office seeks the public’s help in identifying those three men who fled following the shooting.

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the men are accused of stealing dogs from a breeding kennel and then contacting the owners about exchanging the pets for a reward. One of the owners and a friend met with the three men the evening of Tuesday, Dec. 28 at a gas station in Houston’s 15400 block of Wallisville Road.

While at the gas station, homicide Lt. Robert Minchew said a fight broke out.

“A little bit of shoving and then the guns came out,” he said at a media briefing Tuesday evening.

Deputies called to the scene found an adult man bleeding from gunshot wounds, according to a tweet from the sheriff’s office. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Minchew said a friend of the man who was shot ran into a Walmart, where he was detained by deputies who identified him from surveillance video. At the time, Minchew said authorities would interview the man and that he did not believe charges would be filed against him. It is not clear if this friend owns the dogs that were stolen.

The three suspects, all believed to be men in their 20s, were seen escaping in a matte black Chrysler 300 sedan, according to the sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s office did not provide any information about the dogs.

Anyone with additional information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 713-274-9100 or Crime Stoppers at 713–222-8477.

This story was originally published December 29, 2021 at 11:40 AM with the headline "Man killed in apparent dispute over dogs stolen from breeding kennel, Texas cops says."