Horrified witnesses described the “sickening” scenes as Police Scotland deployed scores of armed officers and dog handlers who swooped on the scene at a shop in Edinburgh’s Calder Park
An armed gang of thugs chased a man into a shop before butchering his two dogs in an act of revenge, according to horrified witnesses.
The four men are accused of beating the Alsatians with metal bars before stabbing and killing one of the defenceless animals. The second dog was left with life-threatening injuries in the heinous attack in Edinburgh on Friday afternoon.
Police Scotland deployed scores of armed officers and dog handlers who swooped on the scene at a shop in the capital’s Calder Park after the reported attack at 4.30pm. The scene was described by on local as a “bloodbath” and was quickly locked down.
Detectives are now combing through CCTV from inside the shop to identify the armed men, Edinburgh Live reports. One woman who witnessed the horror said: “I was waiting in the queue when a man came running in with his two dogs saying he was being chased by four guys.
“All of a sudden the four men came storming in carrying large knives and metal bars. What happened next will live with me for the rest of my life. The men started beating the man and then when he jumped behind the counter they began attacking his two dogs.”
“The dogs were barking but one of the guys just plunged a knife into one the Alsatian’s neck and slashed the face of the other one. They were battering the dogs with metal bars too. The first dog just slumped to the ground and was making gurgling noises and the four guys just ran away.”
“Who does that to two dogs in broad daylight? It is just sickening.” She added: “There was a group of children in there at the time too, but we managed to usher them out of the shop before they could really see anything. I tried to help the dog but as soon as I got to it I knew it was dead. Its eyes were glazed over and there was blood everywhere. It was a total bloodbath in there.”
“The dog owner was inconsolable when he realised the dog was dead and I heard he rushed the other dog to a local vets because it had serious injuries to its face and head. There’s rumours the gang had beef with the guy for the past couple of nights but nobody deserves that happening to them.
“These scumbags need caught quickly because if they can do that to a defenceless dog then God knows what else they are capable of. There are plenty cameras in the shop, and the men were not wearing masks so they should be easily identifiable.”
The store was locked and the shutters pulled down following the attack, and police were seen guarding the back door of the supermarket. An officer and vet from local practice Thistle Vets were then seen carrying the dead animal that was wrapped in an orange plastic covering to a waiting vehicle at around 5.45pm.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 4.30pm on Friday, 31 May, 2024 we were called to a report of a disturbance in the Calder Park area of Edinburgh. Officers are in attendance.”