SAN FRANCISCO—According to the San Francisco Police Department on Friday, March 12 at 11:20 p.m. near the block of Haight Street, Timothy Darrell Hewitt, 49, pepper-sprayed a Staffordshire Terrier dog named Maynard and the animal in the torso.

Authorities indicated they were called to the area due to a fight and someone involved in the fight possibly having a knife. A San Francisco resident told the police that Hewitt yelled something at him while he was walking by. The resident was with Maynard, and a friend when the incident occurred.

The dog’s owner was able to disarm the knife from Hewitt and detain him until the authorities arrived on the scene. Authorities transported Maynard and his owner to the San Francisco SPCA.

“On 03/12/2021 at 2311 hrs., @SFPDPark Officers responded to Haight & Belvedere regarding a fight. One of the subjects pepper-sprayed the victim’s dog and then pulled out a knife and stabbed the dog in the torso area. Unfortunately, the dog later succumbed to its injuries,” the SFPD Park Station tweeted on March 15.

Hewitt is facing charges that include animal cruelty resulting in death, possession of switchblade knife, and brandishing a deadly weapon. The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the San Francisco Police Department tip line at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and start the text message with SFPD.

Written By Sharryse Piggott and Donald Roberts