Crime & Safety

Police: Palatine Man Shot, Killed Neighbor's Dog

Piotr Holy, 40, was charged Friday after he shot and killed a neighbor's German Shepard. Holy told police he thought the dog was a coyote.

 

A Palatine man is facing numerous charges for shooting and killing a neighbor's German Shepard early Friday morning, according to the Palatine Police Department.

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Piotr Holy, 40, of the 1100 block of South Brockway Street, killed the dog after it entered his backyard, police said in a press release.

The German Shepard, named Willy, belonged to a nearby 31-year-old Palatine resident who was trying to leash the dog at 1:45 a.m. when he got away from her. The woman began searching for Willy when she heard a single gun shot sound, the release stated.

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She found Willy in a backyard in the 1100 block of South Smith Street. The dog had been shot and was bleeding. The owner rushed Willy to an Arlington Heights animal hospital, where she was met by Palatine Police.

Willy died during surgery, police said. 

When police spoke to Holy, he initially denied shooting anything, but eventually admitted to police he shot what he believed to be a coyote.

During a subsequent investigation, Palatine officers found a deer carcass in Holy's backyard. Holy placed the carcass in his yard to lure coyotes, which he planned to intentionally kill with a .22 caliber gun, police said.

Holy was taken into custody by Palatine Police, who also confiscated two .22 caliber rifles.

Holy was charged with the following offenses:

  • Felony aggravated cruel treatment of an animal
  • Reckless Conduct
  • Unlawful discharge of a firearm while hunting within 300 yards of an inhabited dwelling without permission.
  • Obstructing a peace officer

A bond hearing for Holy is set for Saturday morning in Maywood, police said.


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