At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 11, a 32-year-old man was attacked by three male teens in the area of South Winchester Boulevard and Colonial Way in San Jose, police said.
The victim sustained minor injuries but his dog was fatally injured during the attack, police said.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the juveniles carried out their attack believing that the victim was a member of an opposing gang. The case was assigned to the San Jose Police Department's gang investigations unit.
The three suspects, two 15-year-old males and one 16-year-old male are in police custody. Two of the suspects were already in police custody on unrelated charges and the third has since been booked into Santa Clara Juvenile Hall, police said.
On March 1, police referred the case to the District Attorney's Office, including a review for animal cruelty charges. The suspects are facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon, robbery and a gang enhancement, police said.
Police are asking anyone with information about this case to contact Detective Steve Payne Jr. of the San Jose Police Department's gang investigations unit at (408) 277-3835 or the anonymous tip line at (408)-947-7867.
