Cleveland family terrorized by 3 men who took their dog at gunpoint

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Leatha McIntosh, her daughter, and the child’s father--Andre Steele, were confronted at gunpoint in their Cleveland home on Monday.

Dog thieves threatened to kill them for the 3-year-old red-nosed Pitbull.

They surrendered the dog, named Missy Lynn.

Steele said he was walking Missy Lynn when a man on a bike confronted him and claimed the dog was his.

Steele refused to give up his family pet at first.

The man followed him home and then came back with reinforcements.

Andre Steele said his job is to protect his family.

“Two dudes had guns. Wanted me and her to come outside while my daughter was right there. So, we just gave up the dog because they had the gun pulled out on us. We couldn’t do nothing,” he said.

McIntosh feared for her life and those of her family’s too.

“I was terrified. It was either give up the dog or all of us get buried. I have to do what I have to do as a mother, give them the damn dog. I’m not burying my child. I’m not burying him. I’m not burying myself,” she said.

The thieves got away with the dog, but one of them got cut on glass they broke when forced their way into the Wheelock Road apartment, just above the Cleveland Cultural Gardens.

At least one of them left bloodstains on the porch and police are using it as DNA evidence to track down the dog thieves.

Call police with any information that could bring these thieves to justice and Missy Lynn home safe.

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