Phoenix Family May Have Been Slain Over Noisy Dog

Neighbors say alleged killer hated barking mutts

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Police still don’t have a clear motive for why a Phoenix man allegedly shot a family of four living next door before killing himself Saturday morning, but one possibility is that their barking dogs drove him to murder.

Neighbors in the 250-unit complex say the man, Michael Dante Guzzo, often complained about dogs barking, and left written notes asking neighbors to silence their pets, USA Today reports.

Police say Guzzo shot the Moore family’s two small dogs in the shooting rampage that left four family members dead, including a 17-year old boy. Other neighbors told USA Today that when their dogs barked in response to the gunfire at the Moore unit, Guzzo shot through their door and window.

Phoenix Police Sgt. Tommy Thompson said that the police have still not determined a definitive motive, but “there is some speculation that perhaps it may have been that Mr. Guzzo had a low tolerance for dogs or noise.”

[USA Today]