Video released of dog-killing suspect

Police believe this man threw an 18-pound Pekingese named Roxie to her death while mugging her owner on Friday, Dec. 28, 2012 in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood. Police believe this man threw an 18-pound Pekingese named Roxie to her death while mugging her owner on Friday, Dec. 28, 2012 in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood. Photo: San Francisco Police Department, Courtesy Of SFPD Photo: San Francisco Police Department, Courtesy Of SFPD Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Video released of dog-killing suspect 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

(01-02) 14:45 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco police released surveillance video Wednesday of a man believed to have thrown an 18-pound Pekingese named Roxie to her death while mugging her owner in the Tenderloin last week.

The man shown in the video sneaked up to the woman about 5 p.m. Friday as she was looking for her cell phone in her car on Leavenworth Street near McAllister Street, grabbed her by the collar and demanded money, police said.

Roxie began barking at the mugger from the passenger seat as he went through the 30-year-old woman's pockets, the victim told The Chronicle. She asked that her name not be used to protect her safety.

The man said he was going to kill the dog and punched the woman when she tried to hold him back, she said.

As she begged for her 12-year-old dog's life, the man grabbed Roxie by the collar and threw her into the street, where she fell under the wheels of a car, the woman said. Then he ran off.

The woman dragged the howling dog from under the car and rushed her to a veterinary hospital, where Roxie was euthanized.

The suspect has not been found. Police described him as black, 6-foot-1, lean and clean-shaven. In the video, he is dressed all in black and wearing a hoodie.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at (415) 575-4444 or send a text message to that mentions "SFPD" to TIP411.