Who Stole a Pit Bull Puppy at Gunpoint in Southeast DC?

D.C. police are searching for someone who stole a 1-month-old pit bull puppy from her owner at gunpoint in southeast D.C. 

The puppy, whose name is Heaven, and her owner were on the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road SE, near Suitland Parkway, about 5:20 p.m. Tuesday when they were approached. 

Someone got out of a silver sedan with dark windows and flashed a handgun. 

"Come up off the dog," the person said, according to a police report.

The dog owner complied and dropped Heaven's leash on the ground.

The person then took the dog and drove off toward Sheridan Road SE.

"I'm glad he didn't shoot," he said. "That was the only thing going through my mind."

Heaven was last seen with a white string around her neck. No information on a suspect was released immediately.

Police list Heaven as stolen property, but to her owners, she was family.

"When my brother would leave out the house, she'd be sad," one of them said.

She said Heaven just recently was weaned from her mother's milk and was being fed a special formula. She worries the dog’s health could be in jeopardy, and as a young dog, she's just forming human bonds which were abruptly broken.

If Heaven is in an unfriendly environment, she could be instilled with fear and distrust, Humane Rescue Alliance Sgt. Dan D’Eramo said.

The Humane Rescue Alliance is not assisting D.C. police in the investigation because it only gets involved in cases of abuse and there is no evidence of that at this point.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 202-727-9099.