In Queens, a man named Isaiah Gurley has been accused of dragging a dog down a street and setting the animal on fire. The incident took place just before 5 a.m. last Thursday at the corner of 128th Street and 116th Avenue in South Ozone Park. According to ABC7 New York, Gurley, 29, has been charged with torture, aggravated cruelty to animals, and arson.
Surveillance footage from the neighborhood captures the suspect dragging a motionless dog on a leash. The man then poured an accelerant on the dog and set it on fire. Afterward, he fled the scene, leaving the dog behind.
Authorities launched a search for the suspect, with the NYPD releasing surveillance images of him last Saturday. He was last seen wearing a maroon sweatshirt with a Polo logo, gray pants, and carrying a light brown MCM backpack, as per details shared by NBC New York to encourage public assistance in locating the individual.
The NYPD's Animal Cruelty Squad is investigating the circumstances surrounding the dog's death, while the ASPCA is conducting the necropsy, both agencies confirmed. Authorities have asked anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers. The investigation is ongoing.
