A Florida man has been arrested after he allegedly tried to shoot a dog who was attacking a woman but instead killed the pet’s owner.
Matthew Lee Pasco fled the scene on the morning of Friday, April 17, after the shooting took place on Griffin Road near a homeless encampment, according to investigators.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said that Pasco, 43, allegedly intervened when the dog attacked a woman and he attempted to save her by shooting it, per The Independent. However, the dog was not injured, and the dog’s male owner was instead fatally struck.
Two dogs were also shot during the incident, and one of them died.
After the shooting took place, the wounded man was transported to a hospital and later died. The woman who was being attacked was also transported to a hospital, where she was treated for multiple dog bites. The identities of the victims have not yet been publicly revealed.
Two 911 calls were made to report the crime, according to WESH. “A young lady got bitten by a dog. The owner of the dog, I think, just got shot,” one person reportedly told a dispatcher.
Pasco was initially identified as a person of interest, though the case escalated when police obtained a warrant for his arrest on Saturday, April 18. A manhunt was then launched before the Leesburg Police Department announced he was arrested.
“Great job this afternoon by Officer Kyra Smith and Squad III in the arrest of Matthew Pasco, on N. Citrus Blvd. Pasco was wanted for the Friday shooting that killed a homeless man in a wooded area north of Griffin Road, in Lake County,” the department wrote via Facebook on Sunday, April 19. “Pasco was arrested without incident and is being transported to the Lake County jail … Great work Officer Smith!”
It is not currently clear if Pasco has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following his arrest.
Prior to his arrest, police asked the public for help finding Pasco. They said that he stands 5-foot-11 and weighs approximately 150 pounds.
Authorities also said that Pasco is homeless and is known to frequent the Leesburg area. He was believed to have been armed at the time of the manhunt. Pasco has brown hair, brown eyes and a scar on the right side of his face, while he was last seen wearing a navy-blue T-shirt.
Carver Middle School, which is located near the scene, was placed on lockdown when the search began.
