South Ozone Park, New York — Police are desperately seeking tips after a man was spotted dragging a dog down a street in Queens before setting it on fire.
That man has now been identified as a former Texas State Basketball player, ILL OMENS can exclusively report.
Thanks to facial recognition technology, the suspect shown in NYPD Crimestopper photos was positively linked to promotional shots of Brooklyn, New York native Isaiah Gurley. According to professional sports profiles, Gurley is a 6’3″ 195lb guard who played for McLennan College in Waco, Texas before landing a spot at Texas State for the 2018-2019 season.
Internet sleuths reported this finding to the NYPD, who then confirmed the match via telephone.
On Thursday, reports allege a man—now identified as Gurley—was spotted on surveillance cameras dragging a dog of an unknown breed by it’s leash on Thursday morning. The stomach-churning video then shows that same man douse the animal in what is believed to be lighter fluid before setting it ablaze.
The video shows a man believed to be Gurley wearing a “maroon” POLO, gray pants and a light brown backpack.
Authorities say that the same man can then be seen on video fleeing the scene, leaving the dog to die on the sidewalk. While members of the NYPD Animal Cruelty Squad and the ASPCA are investigating the incident, neighbors are left distraught at the possibility that their pets could be targeted next.
“I’m a dog owner too and for people to do something like that is very wrong,” said Bhisham Pasram in a comment to Eyewitness News.
“I have four cats at home personally. I can’t believe anyone would do something in this area. Right there on the corner is crazy,” said neighbor Nick Samaroo.
According to sports news articles found online, Isaiah Gurley was once considered a rising Basketball star. In 2016, he was proudly named as the “North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference Player of the Week” for Nov. 6-12. In his junior year, he played in 22 games, averaging 3.5 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game, according to a stats rundown maintained by Texas State.
Gurley graduated from George Westinghouse High School in Brooklyn, New York, and turned down Basketball scholarship offers from Robert Morris, Southern Illinois and Southern Utah. He was named an “All-Brooklyn AA Second Team” by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle as a senior.
A necropsy of the animal is underway to determine more about the cause of death. Police are requesting any and all information regarding the incident or the suspect’s whereabouts to contact NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
Incidents of animal cruelty appear high for the Big Apple, often referred to as the great “melting pot” of America. Between 2013 and 2022, the ASPCA reported a grand total of 2,783 reported incidents of animal abuse, including 472 in Queens, 736 in Brooklyn, and 808 similar incidents in the Bronx. Roughly 1,424 dog-related cases of animal abuse are said to have involved allegations of neglect or abandonment.
In 2014, a Brooklyn man made headlines for kicking a stray cat through the air and posting the video to Facebook for clicks and likes. According to reports, that man was arrested and openly admitted to the crime when questioned by authorities.
Ill Omens 