Police: Puppy Shot Man Trying To Kill Dogs

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- A man who was trying to shoot seven puppies was shot himself when one of the dogs made the .38-caliber revolver discharge, deputies said. Jerry Allen Bradford, 37, of Pensacola, was charged with felony animal cruelty, the Escambia County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday. Bradford was being treated at an undisclosed hospital for the gunshot wound to his wrist, said sheriff's Sgt. Ted Roy. Bradford said he decided to shoot the 3-month-old puppies in the head because he couldn't find another home for the shepherd-mix dogs, according to the sheriff's office. On Monday, he was holding two puppies, one in his arms and another in his left hand, when the dog in his hand wiggled and put its paw on the trigger, making the gun discharge, the sheriff's report said. The revolver and a rifle were seized from the home, deputies said. Deputies found three of the puppies in a shallow grave outside Bradford's home, Roy said. The other four appeared to be in good health and were taken by Escambia County Animal Control, which planned to make them available for adoption. "That should never have to happen," said Bruce Rova, director of the Escambia County Animal Shelter. "There are so many options people have. We'll try to find them a new home."

(AP aricle from WKMG)

Bomb Set Off At Lakeland McDonald's After Men Receive Bad Shake

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Two brothers serving in the military and a third man exploded a small bomb inside a McDonald's because they were angry over a bad milkshake, officials said. No one was hurt and damage to the restaurant was minor. Pedro Garza, 19; Joshua Hackey, 19; and Nathaniel Hackey, 21; were arrested Saturday on felony charges of making and discharging a destructive device. The older Hackey is in the Army and his brother is in the Coast Guard, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said. "One of the guys said they got a bad milkshake, and they played a prank on them," sheriff's Maj. Sammy Taylor said. Investigators say the men mixed toilet bowl cleaner and aluminum foil in a plastic soda bottle as they sat at a table Friday evening near the restaurant's restrooms. They then capped the bottle, put it on the table and left before it exploded at 10:45 p.m. Friday. A customer sitting 10 feet away wasn't hit by the splashing chemicals. "The toilet bowl cleaner has an acid base," Taylor said. "It can burn your skin and put your eyes out." The three were identified from a surveillance video, investigators said. Marla Baine, the Hackeys' older sister, said they did not think about the consequences of their action and now regret them. "It's a stupid prank, and they weren't thinking," she said. "I've had calls from them already, and they said they wish they could turn back the hands of time." Baine said her brothers are "two good kids," who had never been in trouble with the law. "Nathan said he's ready to face what's coming to him," she said. "Maybe they'll be made examples, and people won't do this type of thing."

(AP article from WFTV)

The "Beer Belly Bandit" Strikes Again In Tampa

TAMPA, Florida-- The "Beer Belly Bandit" has struck again after a 10-month break, adding to the dozens of bank robberies he has committed in Florida since 2000. The robber, known for his bulging midsection, hit a bank on Tuesday, pulling a gun on two tellers. The robbery was the first he had committed since November, when he held up a bank in Sarasota, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said. The amount stolen was not disclosed. "Normally with investigations like this, you get an abundance of leads, especially with a $25,000 reward," said agent Steve Davenport. "We're not getting much at all. It's kind of perplexing." Investigators are not sure where the bandit has been for the past 10 months. Jail is one possibility, but Davenport said police have the bandit's description and he probably would have been recognized. The Beer Belly Bandit -also known as the "Band-Aid Bandit," because he had a bandage on his face in some holdups - has a skin condition on his hands and arms that makes his skin look bleached.

(article from CNN)