Tijuana police arrested a 32-year-old man on Sunday after he allegedly shot and killed a dog with a shotgun in the La Gloria neighborhood, east of downtown Tijuana.
The suspect, identified as Freddy “N” and originally from Acapulco, Guerrero, allegedly fired a Winchester 12-gauge shotgun on Benito Juárez Street, killing the dog. A witness called the C-5 emergency line at 1:09 p.m., triggering a rapid response from both Baja California State Police and Tijuana municipal officers.
Officers Track Suspect and Recover Weapon
Responding officers used witness descriptions to identify and track a white 2022 Nissan Frontier pickup truck linked to the suspect. The coordinated effort between state and municipal forces led officers to the home of Freddy’s mother, where they recovered a loaded Winchester 12-gauge shotgun.
Freddy was detained and handed over to the Baja California State Attorney General’s Office (FGE, Fiscalía General del Estado) to face animal cruelty charges. The FGE will determine the formal charges as the case moves through the criminal justice system.
Animal Cruelty Is a Criminal Offense in Baja California
Under Baja California state law, animal cruelty carries criminal penalties. The state’s penal code treats intentional harm or killing of animals as a prosecutable offense, not merely an administrative fine. Cases like this one are handled by the FGE, the same office that prosecutes violent crimes and other felonies.
The speed of the arrest in this case was notable. Officers located the suspect, recovered the weapon, and gathered witness testimony within hours of the initial emergency call. Residents can report animal cruelty through the C-5 emergency system, which operates across Baja California and dispatches both state and municipal law enforcement.
The C-5 line functions similarly to 911 in the United States and can be reached by dialing 911 from any phone in Mexico. Reports can also be filed in person at local police stations or through the FGE’s offices in Tijuana.
This story was first reported by The Baja Post.