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SANDY — A man in Sandy is accused of shooting his uncle with a BB gun and setting a room on fire, killing his uncle's dog.
Julian Heildo Gonzalez, 27, was arrested Tuesday and charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with aggravated arson, a first-degree felony; and three counts of torture of a companion animal, a third-degree felony.
Tuesday evening, Gonzalez was "in a physical altercation with family members at their residence," according to a police booking affidavit. Others tried to calm Gonzalez down. Instead, he retrieved a BB gun "and shot his uncle multiple times in the face and chest. The uncle received serious damage to his face and head," police said.
Gonzalez then went to his uncle's bedroom and started a fire, "knowing the uncle's dog and two cats were locked in a kennel on the floor of the bedroom," the affidavit states.
According to charging documents, "A puppy and two kittens were rescued from the room where the fire was set. The puppy was euthanized due to the injuries sustained from the fire and the plastic kennel melting onto the puppy. The two kittens were injured and provided oxygen due to smoke inhalation."
After he was arrested, Gonzalez allegedly told police "that he was sorry for starting the fire but that he had a good reason for doing it. He explained that he believed he was a victim of trafficking and that a cartel was after him," the charges state.
Prosecutors noted in their charges that Gonzalez "uses methamphetamine, resulting in delusions and dangerous behavior."
