Joe Petit of Wayne, whose dog Ludwig was shot and killed by neighbor Hal Phipps on August 10, met with Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser and Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain on Tuesday, August 21, to discuss the incident.
While the details of the meeting remain largely undisclosed, Fox Valley Magazine has learned that Mosser told Petit that a new witness had come forward in support of Petit’s claims. The identity of the witness was not divulged to Petit.
Further, Hain told the Chicago Sun-Times that he and Mosser were scheduled to visit the Petit home on Wednesday, August 29, in order to get a firsthand look at the scene of the incident due to the “sensitivity” of the case.
Meanwhile, the furor over the incident continues to resonate on social media and elsewhere.
A Facebook page, “Justice for Ludwig,” created one week ago, has already generated over 1600 followers. A petition circulating online demanding that Hain and Mosser take action has gained nearly 1,500 virtual signatures, and lawn signs have begun popping up all around the region declaring “Justice for Ludwig.”
Phipps has refrained from public comment on the incident, but his wife, Wayne Village President Eileen Phipps, has publicly defended her husband, saying that he “felt menaced,” and “was in fear for his life” when, according to his version of the story, Ludwig and his sibling Philotimo came onto his property and behaved aggressively towards him.
Petit and close friend Kathleen Czaplewski, who was playing with the dogs in the river when the shooting occurred, dispute that account (see video above).
Mosser’s office issued a statement regarding the incident:
“We will review all of the evidence from the thorough investigation performed by the Kane County Sheriff’s Office. Based on the applicable law, we will make a determination as to whether charges are appropriate. I know people are interested in this case, but in the interest of justice we must be thorough.”
No timeline has been indicated with respect to a decision on charges.
