3 El Paso teen armed robbery suspects now charged with ‘heinous’ case of dog torture

EL PASO, Texas -- Three El Paso teenagers are facing animal torture charges after what police described Thursday as a “heinous” case of cruelty -- throwing a dog out of a speeding car.

17 -year-old Jorge Rangel, 19-year-old Edwin Rodriguez and 17-year-old Bianca Salazar were initially arrested in October after an armed robbery of a 7-11 convenience store that led to a police shooting.

As officers investigated that crime, they said they found evidence tying the trio to the abuse of a small dog.

Police contend the three teens, earlier on the day of the robbery, picked up a stray dog in the 4700 block of Titanic Avenue with the intent to hurt it.

As Rangel was driving a car, police said Rodriguez handed him the dog with both he and Salazar encouraging Rangel to speed up. Moments later, investigators allege he threw the dog out of the driver side window into oncoming traffic as the others laughed.

Police said Thursday that the trio were all booked into the downtown jail under $3,000 bond apiece on the animal abuse charges.

Authorities believe the dog had an owner because it was friendly and asked anyone with information to contact El Paso police at 915-212-0800.