We are learning more about the beating of a homeless man by gang members. Those gang members killed the man's dog.
Fresno police believe five or six gang members attacked the homeless man. They reportedly told the victim he was in their territory.
The attack occurred at the Mosqueda Center at Maple and Butler in Southeast Fresno just before ten Monday night.
Police have made two arrests. But they're looking for additional suspects.
Investigators believe the suspects are all teenagers. They were reportedly drinking outside the Mosqueda Center drinking when they saw the homeless man and decided to attack him.
Police tended to the wounded homeless man early Tuesday morning. On the ground beside him, the body of his Chihuahua-Terrier mix 'Snoopy.'
Investigators say the victim was attacked by a group of gang members as he walked through the Mosqueda Center.
Pieces of a broken beer bottle show where the beating started. The man was hit over the head.
"Also they were punching him. And he had his dog in his backpack next to him. The dog was punched several times. When the dog came out of the backpack, the juveniles began kicking the dog," said Sgt. Eddie Barrios with the Fresno Police Department.
Police say the gang members kicked the dog until they killed him.
The victim ran across the street to the Get 'N Go mini-mart.
I spoke with one customer who saw the victim right after the attack.
"He kept saying: They killed my dog, they killed my dog," the customer said.
The customer didn't want his face shown. He tried to help the homeless man.
"He had the dog right here laying on the ground just hugging it and hugging it and just crying. That's all he kept doing," the customer said.
Police arrested two teens for the attack - 18-year-old Alejandro Lopez and a juvenile. Investigators believe three or four other teens were involved.
CBS47 has learned the victim had gotten care for Snoopy at Westside Rescue, which serves homeless people and their pets.
"He had sought some food and vaccines, some services like that," said Karen Shoji with Westside Rescue.
The rescue is trying to get Snoopy's body from the SPCA so they can have him cremated and his ashes returned to his owner, to provide some comfort.
Comfort for a man who has very little.
"I feel bad for someone like that, because they got no house, they go nowhere to live, they got no family, and the only family they have is their own pets. To have something like that, it's pretty sad," said the store customer who tried to help the homeless man.
Police are asking for help to find the remaining suspects.
If you have any information on the attack, you're asked to call CrimeStoppers at (559) 498-STOP. You can remain anonymous. And your tip could be worth up to one-thousand dollars.
For more information on Westside Rescue their website is: http://westsiderescue.com and their email is: westsiderescue@gmail.com
Fresno police believe five or six gang members attacked the homeless man. They reportedly told the victim he was in their territory.
The attack occurred at the Mosqueda Center at Maple and Butler in Southeast Fresno just before ten Monday night.
Police have made two arrests. But they're looking for additional suspects.
Investigators believe the suspects are all teenagers. They were reportedly drinking outside the Mosqueda Center drinking when they saw the homeless man and decided to attack him.
Police tended to the wounded homeless man early Tuesday morning. On the ground beside him, the body of his Chihuahua-Terrier mix 'Snoopy.'
Investigators say the victim was attacked by a group of gang members as he walked through the Mosqueda Center.
Pieces of a broken beer bottle show where the beating started. The man was hit over the head.
"Also they were punching him. And he had his dog in his backpack next to him. The dog was punched several times. When the dog came out of the backpack, the juveniles began kicking the dog," said Sgt. Eddie Barrios with the Fresno Police Department.
Police say the gang members kicked the dog until they killed him.
The victim ran across the street to the Get 'N Go mini-mart.
I spoke with one customer who saw the victim right after the attack.
"He kept saying: They killed my dog, they killed my dog," the customer said.
The customer didn't want his face shown. He tried to help the homeless man.
"He had the dog right here laying on the ground just hugging it and hugging it and just crying. That's all he kept doing," the customer said.
Police arrested two teens for the attack - 18-year-old Alejandro Lopez and a juvenile. Investigators believe three or four other teens were involved.
CBS47 has learned the victim had gotten care for Snoopy at Westside Rescue, which serves homeless people and their pets.
"He had sought some food and vaccines, some services like that," said Karen Shoji with Westside Rescue.
The rescue is trying to get Snoopy's body from the SPCA so they can have him cremated and his ashes returned to his owner, to provide some comfort.
Comfort for a man who has very little.
"I feel bad for someone like that, because they got no house, they go nowhere to live, they got no family, and the only family they have is their own pets. To have something like that, it's pretty sad," said the store customer who tried to help the homeless man.
Police are asking for help to find the remaining suspects.
If you have any information on the attack, you're asked to call CrimeStoppers at (559) 498-STOP. You can remain anonymous. And your tip could be worth up to one-thousand dollars.
For more information on Westside Rescue their website is: http://westsiderescue.com and their email is: westsiderescue@gmail.com