UPDATED Thursday, April 2: Caretaker who claimed someone fatally shot puppy was responsible for dog’s death, police say

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Portland police are searching for a suspect who allegedly shot and killed a puppy while it was on a walk with its owner in North Portland Friday afternoon.

Sgt. Kevin Allen said the dog was a two-month-old German shepherd mix. The suspect allegedly drove up to the dog and its owner near North Chautauqua Boulevard and North Willis Boulevard, fired a shot at the dog from inside the white sedan, then drove away. The dog’s owner said the suspect did not say anything during the encounter. Allen said the shooting appeared to be random

Police arrived at the scene and took the dog and its owner to Dove Lewis Animal Hospital, but the dog died.

The dog’s owner did not give police any physical descriptions of the suspect, but Allen said officers believe the suspect may have been involved in a random crime last week as well.

Allen said on Friday, March 20, someone who was in a white sedan shot at a person. He said the victim in this case was unrelated to the dog’s owner, and was not injured.

Anyone who has information about the shooting can call 503-823-4106 or email GVRT@portlandoregon.gov.

—Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR

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