INDIANAPOLIS — Police are searching for an Indianapolis man who has been charged with animal torture after he was caught on camera allegedly punching a dog 11 times with a closed fist and breaking their leg.
According to probable cause affidavit filed on Monday, Robert Cole, 23, is charged one count of torturing or mutilating 'Maggie,' a tri-colored hound mix.
According to the affidavit, on June 21, a man living with Cole and his father sent video to Indianapolis Animal Care Services showing Cole beating the dog named Maggie.
The video reportedly showed Cole punching a dog several times and then picking the dog off the ground and slamming it on the floor.
In the video, Cole is also observed holding the dog by the neck and punching the dog 11 times with a closed fist, court documents allege.
The dog, Maggie, was then seen crawling away with its rear legs extended and cowering under a chair. Cole then allegedly stomped on the dog's rear legs as the dog cried out it pain, pulls the dog from beneath the chair and drops the dog on the ground.
The affidavit states that a complaint was also filed with the Indianapolis Mayor's Action Center reporting that a citizen "beat his dog in the face like it was a man and broke the dog's leg."
The man who sent in the video said that it happened on June 18 around 9:30 a.m. and that he also had a cell phone video of the incident. He told police that he later saw Cole leaving the home with a dog and returning with bandages on the dog's rear legs.
On July 6, detectives went to Cole's residence to follow up on the reports. They reportedly spoke to Cole's father who told police that Maggie had been hit by a car and was treated for a broken leg at Indy Humane.
Indy Humane confirmed to police that the dog was treated for a broken leg on June 20.
"Robert (Cole) stated the dog had been struck by a car and he didn’t have the funds to pay for a veterinary bill. The dog was treated and Robert (Cole) returned on (July 5)and the dog was given back to him," Indy Humane reportedly told police.
Detectives then submitted a search warrant to take Maggie from Cole's home "out of concern for the safety of 'Maggie'." The dog was then taken back to Indy Humane.
On the same day, court documents state the detective recieved a call from Cole. Cole told police that he lost his temper because Maggie chewed on the floor and that he did actually do what was observed in the video. However, Cole reportedly told the detective that he didn't break Maggie's leg and that was caused by her getting hit by a car.
According to the affidavit, Cole also has a pending battery misdemeanor in the Marion County Superior Court that was filed on June 26.
IMPD is currently looking for Robert Cole and ask that anyone with information on his location call 911 or Crime Stoppers.
Maggie is currently available for adoption at Indy Humane.
