BY ROSE ADAMS
Police have cuffed the notorious
ruff-ian who allegedly
stabbed a dog in Fort Greene
Park on Feb. 20, according to
authorities.
Prosecutors charged the accused
canine knifer, 61-year-old
Steven Horn, on March 4 for aggravated
animal cruelty, menacing,
criminal possession of
a weapon, and injuring an animal,
according to the Brooklyn
District Attorney’s offi ce.
The arrest came almost two
weeks after Horn, a Clinton Hill
resident, allegedly stabbed a
3-year-old Great Dane and Bernese
Mountain Dog mix named
Bandit while walking his furry
companion at the greenspace
during off-leash hours.
Bandit’s owner, who spoke
on the condition of anonymity
for fear of retribution, said that
Horn whipped out a pocket knife
after Bandit began to approach
his dog, a Basenji named Rex,
that Bandit had met before.
The two dogs have gotten
territorial and aggressive, but
have never harmed each other,
according to Bandit’s owner,
who said he had agreed to keep
Bandit away from Rex at Horn’s
request. Bandit has never hurt
any dogs or humans, the owner
said.
COURIER L 6 IFE, MARCH 19-25, 2021
But during off-leash hours
before 9 am on Feb. 20, Bandit
trotted up to Horn and his
partner, who was with the
Basenji. Bandit’s owner said
he signaled to Horn that he
would move Bandit away, and
was about to restrain Bandit
when Horn allegedly took out
a pocket knife and stuck it into
Bandit’s left side.
“There was no tussle between
the dogs when he bent
down and stabbed Bandit in
the side.” Bandit’s owner said.
“It was not in self defense at
all. It was not provoked … That
guy could have removed his
dog and walked away.”
The suspect then said, “I’m
going to f—ing kill your dog,”
before quietly leaving the park
with his partner, according
to Bandit’s owner and several
other witnesses.
Dog owners gathered
around Bandit to help stop the
bleeding and alert Park authorities
of the incident. Bandit
was rushed off to BluePearl Pet
Hospital in Gowanus, where
he stayed for more than seven
hours, according to Bandit’s
owner, who added the pooch is
now recovering at home.
Bandit’s owner said his
biggest fear is that the stabbing
will make Bandit fearful
of people or the park he’s frequented
since he was a pup.
“I would be most heartbroken
about this if he has PTSD
from this — if he distrusts humans
or the park,” said the
owner, who said he’s never
heard of a dog attack in his
years of visiting Fort Greene
Park. “That any dog owner
would act like this to a dog is
kind of unfathomable to all dog
owners.”
When asked to respond to
the allegation that the attack
was unwarranted, Horn’s lawyer
scoffed.
“Of course it wasn’t unwarranted,”
said Murray Richman,
who declined to speak
further on the case. “I think
it would be best to respond in
the appropriate fashion in the
court.”
Horn’s charges include
three misdemeanors and one
felony that allow for a $5,000
fi ne and a prison sentence of
up to two years. A judge may
impose both the fi ne and the
prison sentence.
The suspect. Photo by Noah Harlan
Police have arrested Steven Horn (left) for allegedly stabbing a dog
named Bandit (above) in Fort Greene Park. Courtesy of Bandit’s owners
To the dog pound!
Police arrest alleged Fort Greene Park dog stabber
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