Pennsylvania man shot — and the suspect has four legs

Dubai: It sounded like the opening line of a bizarre crime thriller: The shooter had four legs.

That was the early finding in an unusual case investigated by police in Shillington, Pennsylvania, this week, according to The New York Times.

Officers were called on Tuesday night after a 53-year-old man was found shot in the back, with the victim’s son frantically telling 911 operators that the gunman was unknown. But as police dug deeper, the mystery began to point in a surprising direction — straight towards the family dog.

According to Cpl. Michael Schoone of the Shillington Police Department, the victim had been cleaning his shotgun and briefly set it down on the bed. Investigators then learned that moments later, the family dog jumped onto the bed, triggering the firearm and firing a round that struck the man.

“It’s unclear if the dog’s paw got caught in the trigger while the safety was off, or if there was some kind of mechanical malfunction,” Schoone told local outlet WFMZ. “It looks like it was an accident, but it’s still being investigated.”

The man, whose name has not been released, was taken to Reading Hospital for treatment. No details have been shared about his current condition — or the identity of the canine suddenly labeled a “suspect.”

No further information about the dog, including its breed or name, was available.

The unusual incident quickly drew attention from gun safety advocates and pet lovers alike, with national media outlets injecting humor into headlines.

The New York Post, for instance, cheekily opened its story with: “Growl play is not suspected.”

According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, the case has been logged as an accidental or negligent firearm discharge — one of 1,156 unintentional shootings in the United States so far in 2025.

While bizarre, this isn’t the first time America has witnessed canine-linked gunfire. The New York Times notes several similar cases, including:

March 2025: A Memphis man said he was grazed by a bullet after his puppy, Oreo, got a paw stuck in the trigger.

2018: Former LSU football player Matt Branch lost his leg after a Labrador retriever stepped on his shotgun.

2011: A Utah duck hunter was shot in the buttocks when his dog stepped on a shotgun.

As the investigation continues, one thing is clear: in this case, man’s best friend nearly became man’s most unexpected enemy — completely by accident.