An Aurora man has been charged with shooting a neighbor’s dog in the head, officials said.
John Fazzini, 61, of the 300 block of Aster Court, has been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, reckless discharge of a firearm and criminal damage to property, according to a news release from the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Fazzini’s bail was set at $100,000 in DuPage County Court Wednesday morning.
Aurora police responded to investigate shots fired in the 300 block of Shadybrook Lane around 9 p.m. March 10, according to the release. They found an 8-year-old German shepherd lying on the front porch of a home. The dog, named Jameson, had been shot in the right side of his nose, with the bullet exiting below his left ear, officials said.
Police said that around 8:45 p.m. that evening, members of the family which owns the dog, including a 10-year-old girl, were out walking Jameson when they encountered Fazzini across the street, walking his dog.
Fazzini’s dog began to bark and Jameson allegedly wiggled out of his harness and approached Fazzini and his dog, according to the release.
Police said the family’s dog ran circles around Fazzini and his dog before trotting toward them. When he was four to five feet away, without warning, Fazzini shot Jameson, according to the release.
After he was shot, the dog returned to the front porch of his family’s home.
The dog was taken to a local veterinary hospital and is now at home recovering from his injuries, officials said.
“It is alleged that without provocation Mr. Fazzini pulled out a loaded handgun and shot a family pet just feet away from family members, including a 10-year-old girl,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.
Fazzini was taken into custody Tuesday on an active arrest warrant following a traffic stop by Aurora police. He is due back in court May 4.
