Gunman tells kids 'sorry' before shooting their dog in the face

On Feb. 28, three children were walking the dog near an apartment complex in Dallas, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. A man walked up to the dog, a 9-month-old Labrador retriever mix named Nolan, pulled out a gun and shot him in the face, WFAA reported.

Genola Vance, who owns the dog, said he asked her son and nephews to take out the trash last week, the television station reported. The dog also went outside, but moments later the children came back into the house and said Nolan had been shot.

"They said (the man) just looked at them, said 'sorry', and then shot him," Vance said. “(Nolan) ran by me into the house and there was blood everywhere."

The suspect, who has not been identified, fled the scene, The Dallas Morning News reported. He was described as a black adult, wearing a black hoodie, WFAA reported. He is wanted on a charge of cruelty to non-livestock animals, officials said.

Nolan had major injuries, but is expected to survive, the Star-Telegram reported. The bullet went through the front of the dog's mouth and exited through his jaw, breaking it, WFAA reported.

Medical costs exceeded $7,000, but SPCA-Dallas paid for Nolan’s surgery, the television station reported.