Resident's Dog Shot, Killed on Leverington Avenue

The Gambone family's dog was shot and killed Saturday afternoon at their Roxborough home.

Megan Gambone said an unknown person fatally shot the family's Labrador mix, Mr. Dogg, around 5:30 p.m. in their yard, on the 400 block of Leverington Avenue.

"Yes, we are sad that our dog died. But what was more troubling is the fact that someone shot a gun in my yard, in broad daylight, when we had children in our home," she said.

The resident said her friend and his daughters were visiting Gambone and her daughter March 24 in the early evening. When company comes over, Gambone or her husband usually put the dog outside until people become acclimated. Mr. Dogg is known to bark.

Ten minutes later, she heard a pop, followed by a yelp.

"It didn't sound like a gun blast or a car backfiring. It was a pop louder than a BB-gun, but not blaring," she said.

Gambone ran outside to find the atmosphere calm.

"It was eerie, so quiet. There was no one running away. There was no car screeching," she said.

When she reached her front yard, she noticed Mr. Dogg was bleeding from an apparent gunshot wound. She tried to contain the bleeding with a towel and duct tape, and took him to the Veterinary Hospital University of Pennsylvania.

Her friend called the police to report the incident.

At the hospital, doctors took X-rays and found a bullet from a .22 caliber pistol. There was no exit wound, she said.

"The bullet punctured his lung and abdomen pretty badly. We had to have him euthanized," she said.

Later, she followed up with Philadelphia Police. There she learned there were no casings found, and they called it an isolated incident.

spokesperson Officer Jillian Russell said Monday that due to a lack of witnesses and more detailed information, police were unable to pursue much of an investigation. 

The Gambones moved to Roxborough five years ago, which is around the same time they adopted Mr. Dogg. She said they've never had any trouble with crime or their dog.

"It was my belief it was a safe neighborhood. That's why we moved her. I've never had any complaints until now," she said. 

She said she wanted neighbors to be aware of the incident, and posted info on it at the forum, EveryBlock.com. Click here to read the post.

Editor's note: An earlier version included Gambone's maiden name, and has been since changed to reflect her married name. Also, the article was changed to include clarified info on where the dog was found.