LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A man accused of shooting a dog to death last week told police it bit his finger and two other children that day, according to an arrest report obtained by FOX5.
Police responding to reports of the shooting arrived in the 6000 block of Halehaven Drive on Thursday around 11:15 p.m., and immediately took Kevin Hoskins, 34, into custody.
Hoskins is facing 13 counts of discharging a firearm into an occupied structure. On Friday, he appeared in court for the first time, and his bail was set at $263,000.
That night, Hoskin’s sister called 911 to report that Hoskins “shot her other brother’s dog,” a Pitbull named Blue. Hoskins told officers he shot the dog because it bit his hand.
Officers also found Blue inside the residence with several gunshot wounds, where he later died.
Hoskins’ brother, who is also Blue’s owner, told officers he left work early because his wife was afraid Hoskins would hurt Blue. He told officers he was yelling at his brother through the phone that he was on his way home and “they better not do anything to his dog.”
His wife would also tell police she heard Blue making noises in his kennel, and saw a scratch on Hoskins’ hand. When asked, Hoskins said the dog bit him and that “he was going to kill it.”
According to the arrest report, a witness stated that Blue was called out of his kennel but appeared too scared to exit. When he was called again, Hoskins fired several shots at the dog, who never emerged.
Hoskin’s sister told officers she was begging him to stop shooting Blue as he fired.
While in custody, Hoskins told police he saw the dog bite two children earlier that day. Detectives would interview the parents and children involved, and learned Blue scratched one child while playing and nipped another. According to the report, detectives deemed those injuries “non-malicious.”
“Most adults at the scene stated that Blue does not maliciously bite anyone,” the report stated.
After witnessing Blue bite the child, Hoskins claimed he approached Blue’s kennel and stuck his pinky finger inside, asking, “What’s up, Blue? What’s wrong with you, boy?”
Hoskins said Blue then bit his right pinky, and he was forced to grab a towel to stop the bleeding. As people began to gather around Blue, Hoskins claimed he saw the dog emerge from the kennel and walk toward him.
Hoskins then opened fire and stated he did not remember how many times he shot the dog, claiming it was around “three or four times.”
FOX5 requested a jailhouse interview with Hoskins, which he initially accepted but later declined.
Hoskins is due back in court for his initial appearance on Tuesday, April 29.
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