EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Police investigate a shooting at a West El Paso dog park on Monday morning, after a dog was shot and killed during a dispute with another dog.

According to the El Paso Police Department, the shooting happened at the 7400 block of High Ridge Drive, at the dog park outside the Don Haskins Recreation Center.

A spokesperson with EPPD said a 77-year-old man shot and killed a two-year-old Pitbull mix after it got into an altercation with his Chihuahua mix.

According to the spokesperson, at first the two dogs became “semi-aggressive,” then the 77-year-old retrieved a gun, came back to the park, and during a “minor altercation,” the 77-year-old shot and killed the Pitbull.

The owner of the pit bull said the Chihuahua was on a leash, while the Pitbull wasn’t.

The EPPD spokesperson said no charges have been filed, but said that if charges are filed, they would be:

Animal cruelty.Discharging of a firearm in certain municipalities.

Authorities continue investigating the incident.

Below are the full remarks by the EPPD spokesperson:

EPPD spokesman on the shooting death of a dog at West El Paso park. May 18, 2026. Credit: KFOX14/CBS4

KFOX14/CBS4 spoke with 44-year-old Vicente Villa, who said he’s the owner of the Pitbull that was killed.

Villa described the moments that led to the shooting, saying that his Pitbull had gone to sniff the Chihuahua when the two dogs started snarling and snapping.

“It looked like they were going to fight,” Villa said, adding that the other owner reportedly told him, “Get her off her or else I’m going to shoot.”

Villa said that by the time he ran over to try to pull off his dog, the man shot his Pitbull, firing the gun once.

Below is the full interview with Villa:

Interview with 44-year-old Vicente Villa, owner of the Pitbull that was shot and killed at a West El Paso dog park. May 18, 2026. Credit: KFOX14/CBS4

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