Nazareth Man Shoots Neighbor's Dog, Claims Self-Defense

A Nazareth man told police he shot and killed his neighbor’s dog on Friday “out of self-defense” after the dog attacked him, his son, their dog and an unnamed third person earlier in the day.

Before the shooting, police placed the dog, Scamp, in a cage at the borough's kennel on G.W. Stoudt Boulevard, which is a one-minute drive from where the attack took place. However, the large dog was able to force his way out, and he returned to the neighborhood, according to police.

The dog was shot about 20 feet from his owners' home and about a block and a half from the shooter's home, according to borough Police Chief Thomas Trachta.

According to an incident report and police:

Scamp, a Rottweiler/pitbull/St. Bernard mix, began to fight with a dog owned by David Gosnell Sr., 49, and David Gosnell Jr., 21, around 3:45 p.m. in the yard of their home on the 700 block of Heckman Avenue.

Both men suffered injuries when they tried to break up the fight, Trachta said.

When Officer Jacob Abel arrived on the scene, he witnessed a 15-year-old girl, identified as “partial owner” of the dog, trying to put a leash on Scamp on Wonderly Street, which is one block from the Gosnells' home.

After Abel assisted the girl and snared Scamp, Bethlehem EMS was dispatched after the officer noticed the injuries to both Gosnells.

Gosnell Sr. had injuries to his right hand and Gosnell Jr. had injuries to his left elbow in addition to several scrape marks all over his body.

While EMS was being dispatched, Abel transported Scamp and placed him in a cage at the borough's kennel on G.W. Stoudt Boulevard.

Both men were treated for their injuries, but refused to be transported to the hospital.

At about 5:15 p.m., Officer Stephen Schleig was called to the 700 block of Heckman Avenue for a report of a person with a gun who had shot a dog.

When Schleig arrived, he found Gosnell Sr. walking toward the area where the dog was shot.

Gosnell told Schleig he “shot the dog out of self-defense” and said his rifle could be found on his porch. He said it was used to shoot the dog and that a spent rifle round was in his pocket.

After being searched for additional weapons, Gosnell was placed under investigative detention and was put in Schleig’s patrol vehicle while Officer Steven Lindstedt secured a Winchester Ranger .30-30 rifle found on Gosnell’s porch.

Chief Trachta arrived and determined the dog who was killed was Scamp -- the same dog secured in the borough's kennel a little over an hour earlier.

Gosnell was released from investigative detention and treated by Bushkill EMS for the injuries he sustained earlier in the day.

Trachta advised Schleig to cite Gosnell for discharging a firearm within the borough -- a violation of a borough ordinance.

According to Trachta, there were no reports of Scamp attacking or biting anyone when he returned to the neighborhood, and that the dog was about 20 feet from his owners' house when he was shot.

The home of Fredis and Denise Dennis, Scamp's owners, is about a block and a half from Gosnell's home, and is on the opposite side of the street.

Gosnell submitted to a blood-alcohol test, and it was determined he had not been drinking at the time of the shooting.

Scamp's owners provided proof that Scamp had been vaccinated for rabies on May 24.

Police seized Gosnell’s Winchester rifle, which was properly registered to Gosnell, in addition to a Daisy Powerline air rifle.

Trachta said an investigation is ongoing.