MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A Miami-Dade man was arrested Tuesday after deputies said he killed a puppy near Arthur & Polly Mays Conservatory of the Arts.
It happened at about 10:50 a.m. near the intersection of Southwest 214th Street and Southwest 114th Avenue, just outside the school, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies identified the suspect as 40-year-old Christopher Maurice Lewis.
Authorities said Lewis flagged down deputies after calling police and claimed his mother had been chased and bitten by a dog.
While explaining the incident to deputies, they said Lewis admitted he took one of the dog’s puppies and smashed it with a brick, telling deputies he did so to scare the mother dog away.
According to his arrest report, Lewis then disposed of the puppy’s body in a nearby trash can and gathered the remaining puppies into a box.
Witnesses in the area told deputies they contacted authorities after seeing Lewis killing the puppy, the report stated.
Deputies reported finding one deceased puppy at the scene and another in a trash can with “signs of blunt force trauma.” Miami-Dade Animal Control secured eight additional puppies.
Jail records show Lewis is facing one count of animal cruelty with intent to injure or kill.
As of Wednesday, he was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond was set at $5,000.
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