BURNETT COUNTY -- Gavin Neuman, age 19 of Grantsburg, WI, is facing felony charges following the shooting death of a dog. According to a criminal complaint filed in Burnett County Circuit Court, the Burnett County Sheriff’s Department received a report on October 1, 2018, regarding a dog being shot to death.
Neuman is charged with Class I Felony Mistreatment of Animals, resulting in the animal’s death, following an investigation into the death of the dog.
When a Burnett County Sheriff’s Deputy spoke with the owner of the dog, she stated that on September 30, 2018, the day prior, her uncle had informed her that her dog had been shot and killed. She went on to show the deputy text messages she had received from her uncle stating that “your dog kept getting in the garbage every time she was outside and I yelled at her and thumped her and picked it up after the third time I had enough I killed the dumb thing…”.
The owner of the dog told the deputy that she had been living at her uncle’s residence for a couple months and that her dog, Chevy, was just over 1 year old and had not been known to display aggression at anyone. She also said that when she returned to the residence, she buried the dog. She also told the Deputy that she had never given permission to anyone to shoot her dog.
A Burnett County Sheriff’s Deputy went to the address where the shooting was reported to have occurred and spoke to those living there, including Gavin Neuman. When asked if he knew why the Deputy was there, Gavin said, “yes, because of the dog”.
Gavin went on to tell the Deputy that the dog had been a nuisance, always getting into the garbage and that the dog had run away, leading another dog with it and so they had to “get rid of it”. When the Deputy asked Gavin what he meant, Gavin said the dog was shot. The Deputy asked Gavin who shot the dog. After a lengthy pause, Gavin said that he shot Chevy. Gavin went on to say that he shot Chevy once in the head and that Chevy collapsed and died right away.
Gavin showed the Deputy the spot where Chevy had been shot and said that it happened on September 29, 2018, at around 6:00p. When asked if Chevy had ever been vicious or displayed aggression, Gavin told the Deputy that Chevy had never been vicious. The Deputy took photos of the area where Gavin had stated that fresh dirt had been put down to cover the blood.
When asked if he felt bad about shooting the dog, Gavin stated, that he “kind of” did. Gavin was placed under arrest for the shooting.
Following this, the Deputy spoke with the uncle of Chevy’s owner who had sent the text messages indicating that he had actually shot Chevy. When asked why he sent those text messages, he told the Deputy that he thought it would be better if Chevy’s owner was mad at him and thought he shot Chevy rather than Gavin. He went on to say that he did not know that Gavin had shot the dog until later and that he did not help Gavin clean up.
Online circuit court records show that Gavin was placed on a $1,000 signature bail bond on October 2, 2018, the conditions of which prohibit him from using or possessing any firearms, or having any contact with the owner of Chevy.
Gavin made an initial appearance on his charges on October 10, 2018, and is scheduled to appear again in November.
No record was located in online circuit court records of any charges being filed against the other parties residing at the address where the shooting occurred, so those names are not included in this story.
Pursuant to the direction of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as found in Supreme Court Rule 20:3.6, Trial Publicly, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Last Update: Oct 11, 2018 9:07 am CDT
