Dog struck, killed by thief fleeing in stolen car, police say

SALISBURY, N.C. (WBTV/Gray News) – A dog being walked by its owner was struck and killed by a stolen car over the weekend, according to police in North Carolina.

Authorities say it all started when a man drove his Nissan Altima to an O’Reilly Auto Parts store in Salisbury just after 6 p.m. Sunday. The man parked his car and left the engine running when he walked into the store.

Minutes later, the man said he saw another man driving his car out of the parking lot. As the victim was walking back toward his house, he spotted the car behind an apartment on a nearby street, according to police.

Police said the victim approached the car and tried to pull the driver out of the front door. That’s when the suspected thief hit the gas to try to get away.

Two men were walking in the area, one of whom was walking his dog. The men jumped on the front porch of an apartment to get out of the way, but the dog was struck by the car, authorities said. The car then hit the apartment building before the suspect ran from the scene, according to a police report.

The dog died.

A witness told WBTV that shots were fired, but it’s unclear by whom. Police confirmed that shell casings were found at the scene, but no injuries were reported.

Police are still looking for the suspect.

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