Man arrested in sledgehammer killing of injured dog

Phoenix police have arrested a man accused of using a sledgehammer to kill a seriously injured dog that had been struck by at least one car.

Police said children were among several people gathered around the injured dog April 16 when 49-year-old Ivan Lawrence got the sledgehammer from his nearby home and twice struck the injured dog in the head.

Police that evening wrote a report. Detectives later investigated and contacted the dog’s owner, resulting in Lawrence’s arrest Wednesday on suspicion of felony animal abuse and a city code violation.

Lawrence remained jailed Thursday and it was not immediately known whether he has an attorney who could comment on the case.

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