An argument over truck parking escalated and resulted in gunfire earlier this week.
On Monday, Jimmy Martinez was parked along East 12th Street in Oakland, California when a truck driver approached his RV and demanded he move his vehicle. When Martinez refused to move his RV, the truck driver shot Martinez and his dog Chata.
Parking Dispute Ends With Man And Dog Shot
This argument occurred on the 4700 block of E. 12th Street around 12 p.m., police said.
The truck driver reportedly retrieved a gun from his truck and approached Martinez, then hit Martinez on the side of the head with the gun. This left Martinez with a large gash that required stitches.
Martinez told CBS SFBayArea, “[The truck driver] just got really pissed off and said ‘Let me show you what truckers do to motherf—–s. [He] went to his truck and pulled out a Glock 40 caliber.”
Then the driver open fired in the direction of Martinez and his RV. Martinez was struck in the arm and many bones were shattered.
Upon hearing the shots, Martinez’s dog Chata came running out of the RV in an attempt to save his owner.
When the shooter saw Chata, he also shot at the dog. Chata was shot in the face twice – two bullets entered the dog’s mouth and exited her body through her jaw and neck.
After Chata was shot, Martinez and his canine hero jumped into the RV as the shooter continued to open fire. Finally, the man fled.
“If it wasn’t for the dog, I wouldn’t be here,” Martinez said. “I would not be here at all.”
Martinez works as a mechanic and is now unable to work while he recovers from this incident.
Chata underwent emergency surgery and is expected to recover temporarily; however, bullet fragments left in Chata’s jaw threaten her wellbeing in the future. If more surgery is not performed, Chata will not be able to properly eat or drink.
With surgery, the dog can recover. Without it, doctors suggest she be euthanized, according to NBC Bay Area.
Martinez’s sister Diane commented, “If it wasn’t for Chata, I wouldn’t be standing here talking to you. I would be planning a funeral for my brother. So she saved him, so we have to save her.”
Police On The Lookout For Truck Driver
Diane also had a message for the shooter, “I pray for you because that’s not a human being,” she said. “I don’t see how you can sleep after what you did. This is the type of guy that doesn’t need to be on the streets.”
The shooter has not been found. The police are still investigating.