Dog shot, killed in Fairfax County; Suspected shooter in custody

CENTREVILLE, Va. - Authorities say a person is in custody after shooting and killing a dog on Friday morning in an apartment complex in Fairfax County.

Fairfax County Police Officers responded around 9:47 a.m. to the 5100 block of Brittney Elyse Circle in Centreville for a reported shooting.

Once there, officers found a 2-year-old yellow Labrador and Beagle mix that had been shot. The dog was taken to an animal hospital and later died.

Officers say when they found the dog, the owner was standing next to the wounded animal.

Roman Vyacheslavov Gorelov, 33. (PHOTO: Fairfax County Police Department)

Investigators learned that a man, identified as Roman Vyacheslavov Gorelov, 33, shot the dog then returned to his nearby apartment. 

They believe that Gorelov got into a verbal altercation with the owner of the dog in a breezeway of the apartment complex, before pulling out a gun and shooting the animal.

Police say the owner then picked up the dog and started to run away, and as he did, Gorelov followed them and fired several more shots at the dog.

After learning about the incident, police contacted Gorelov by phone, and he surrendered himself to the officers.

Gorelov is charged with animal cruelty and reckless discharge of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school. 

He was taken to the adult detention center and is being held without bond. 

After the incident, detectives searched Gorelov's apartment and found the gun used in the shooting.

Recovered Firearm. (PHOTO: Fairfax County Police Department)

The investigation into the incident is ongoing. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call FCPD at 703-814-7000.