Queens teen accused of shooting neighbor's beloved Pomeranian
QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) --- A teenager is accused of accidentally shooting his neighbor's dog after firing several shots from his Queens home on Monday, police said.
Joshua Marte, 18, allegedly fired two shots from his Lahn Street home near 155th Street in Old Howard Beach when the Pomeranian, Arya, was hit at around 9 a.m., according to NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny.
Cops found the bleeding pup and a bullet hole in the window of the pet owner's home on Huron Street near 155th Street, Kenny said at a press briefing Tuesday.
“She brought the dog to the vet and he told her [that] her dog had been shot,” Kenny said. “The round pierced the dog’s leg, near its groin, and nicked its colon.”
Marte's mother told investigators there were two bullet holes in her home and her son took off. The mom then panicked and hid the weapon in the freezer, according to Kenny.
The teen was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, torture, and reckless endangerment, according to court records.
"I didn't mean to hurt anyone," Marte told cops.
The dog is recovering from her injuries.
Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the New York City area for more than a decade. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here.