German shepherd pup shot in San Jose; 2 suspects sought
SAN JOSE, Calif. - A German shepherd pup named Marley was shot in the skull as her owner slept in San Jose and police on Monday asked the public for help in finding the suspects.
According to police, Marley was shot on Jan. 11 at 6:35 a.m. near Ann Darling Drive and McKee Road.
When officers arrived, police found Marley had been shot with a bullet that entered her skull and exited below the jaw line. She also hurt her right paw. One of her digits was amputated.
Marley's owner said she was asleep when she woke up to the sound of gunshots, police said.
She followed the noise and saw that Marley was running back home from across McKee Road, police said.
It turned out that two suspects – one is possibly a man in his 20s who wore a yellow jacket – were allegedly involved in the "heartless shooting of a defenseless dog," police said.
"I think it's safe to say that all lives are equal," Police spokesman Stacie Shih said at a news conference. "Our furry friends, our four-legged friends. We want to stand up for them, too."
The dog is now in foster care. The San Jose Animal Care Center handled Marley's original surgery, though her shattered jaw required a specialist. The community donated $27,000 for her medical care and vets from U.C. Davis stepped up to help.
"Everything's healed. It looks beautiful," says Elizabeth Kather, medical director of the San Jose Animal Care Center. She adds, "You would never know looking at this dog today, what she had gone through."
The Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers Program is offering a $1,000 award to anyone with information leading to the apprehension and conviction of those involved.
Anyone with information about these cases or similar cases is asked to contact Detective Lindenberg #4673 or Detective Martinez #4533 of the San José Police Assaults Unit via email: 4673@sanjoseca.gov/4533@sanjoseca.gov or 408-277-4161.
An X-Ray of Marley the dog, who was shot in the skull. Photo: SJPD
Marley was shot in January 2024. Photo: SJPD