Family grieves after pet dog was shot and killed, no suspect yet

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A Milwaukee family is grieving the loss of their dog after someone shot it multiple times, then took off. As police investigate, they're now asking the person who did it to come forward.

It was two weeks ago when Amber Israel let her pit bull Melanie out the front door of her apartment building, like she did every day.

But moments later, she heard gunshots, then Melanie crawled back through the door where she died in the hallway.

Amber said, "I didn't know what to do because I don't know what triggered somebody to do something to a dog."

Jan. 29 felt like a normal day when Israel let Melanie out to go to the bathroom. But everything changed in a moment.

She said, "Then just gunshots. Gunshots. And I didn't know where it was coming from."

She heard four or five gunshots just outside the door. Her kids ran upstairs screaming. Amber tried to protect them.

Then she watched as Melanie dragged herself back into the apartment building. "I watched her die. She died in my hands. It hurt."

Melanie died in the hallway.

A friend raised her as a puppy, then Amber took Melanie into her home.

She said despite stereotypes against pit bulls, Melanie was sweet and gentle. She said she was not aggressive and played with her young children. "She was a sweet dog, she wasn't vicious."

Amber created a memorial in the hallway where Melanie died.

Two weeks later, there was still blood on the front path and stoop.

Amber said she knows Melanie should have been on a leash, but she had been outside so many times on her own that Amber trusted her.

She said Melanie would never be aggressive with anyone.

Now, as her family grieves, she wants answers. "My daughter is asking about Melanie. Like 'Where's Melanie?' Calling her at the door. And she's not coming."

A neighbor has a security camera, but it did not record the shooting.

Milwaukee police still don't have a suspect and are asking anyone who may have information to contact them.