Viral video shows man apparently beating a dog to death — but that's not why he's out on bond

And the suspect, Mekhi Jackson, 19, of Atlanta, was out on bond on assault charges related to a 2022 drive-by shooting outside a local high school, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Jackson is alleged to have served as the getaway driver while a 15-year-old student fired shots from the car outside McNair High School, the newspaper reported.

“More than a year later, with his aggravated assault case still open in DeKalb’s Superior Court, police identified Jackson as the man seen on the video,” the report said. “The footage shows the suspect chasing and hitting the dog, then picking it up and throwing it against a wall. Police confirmed Thursday that the dog died from its injuries.

A report at WSB Radio in Atlanta added that the video showed the dog being slammed into the concrete and “the dog then can be seen desperately trying to get away by running up the stairs.”

“Jackson is currently being held in the DeKalb County Jail on a charge of aggravated cruelty to animals,” WSB reported. “Activists are planning a rally at the Georgia State Capitol on Sunday in an effort to urge to Governor Brian Kemp to form an animal cruelty task force.”

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