Man accused of beating dog to death

GASTONIA, N.C. — A man is facing felony charges after being accused of beating a dog to death.

Defay Lomick, a barber who witnessed the incident, said he tried to stop the attack on the helpless dog.

He said Christopher Leach, who allegedly killed the dog, threw a heavy stick through his window leaving a big hole in the glass.

Lomick spoke with reporter Ken Lemon about what he saw Thursday.

"It's something that sticks on your mind," Lomick said.

Lomick said Leach slammed a duffel bag on the sidewalk.

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A small dog or a puppy just a few inches long was inside the bag.

"It's kind of hard imagining somebody doing that to a helpless puppy," Lomick said.

People in downtown Gastonia said that Leach, a homeless man, adopted the small pup, which looked a lot like a pit bull.

Lomick said Leach kept the puppy with him, but got upset with the dog because it ate some of the food Leach had in a bag.

There was one customer in the store and the barber said Leach didn't care that people saw him killing a dog on Main Avenue in downtown Gastonia.

Lomick said at one point he thought he and Leach might get into a fight.

He said Leach walked away and as he went back in the shop Leach tossed this stick into the store.

Lomick said police arrived just as the men started towards each other again.

They arrested Leach for 12th time since January of last year.

The homeless man with a long criminal history got a $25,000 bond.

Cox Media Group