Anti Federalist
08-02-2013, 08:19 PM
Ceres man threatens on Facebook to shoot dog, gets visit from police
Published: August 1, 2013 Updated 21 hours ago
http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/08/01/3419997/viral-indignation.html#storylink=cpy
By Erin Tracy — The Modesto Bee
CERES — A Ceres man learned the effectiveness of social media quickly after his threat to shoot his dog went viral and resulted in police officers knocking on his front door.
The Facebook threat came to light after Mark Joiner II, 28, posted a photograph of a dog on his personal page Wednesday, saying he wanted to get rid of it because the dog defecated on his bed and chewed up his belongings.
"Anybody want her? ... She's FREE," he posted. "Pick her up today or she will be shot and stuck in a hole by 9 p.m." He went on to offer anyone who takes the dog $20.
Other Facebook members, including several from out of state, took screen shots of the page and posted it on the Ceres Police Department's page, asking investigators to look into the matter.
The 2-month-old miniature Papillon named Stella was well Thursday morning when police went to check on the dog.
Joiner said Thursday afternoon that he would never hurt his dogs — he also has a 12-year-old pit bull named Brutus — and that the post was meant to be a joke.
Ceres police said they fielded nearly 50 reports from at least five states.
Joiner said he knew the police were coming because he said the Sheriff's Department already had visited his parents' home, and they'd also received phone calls from about a dozen strangers who offered to take the dog.
Ironically, many of the people appalled by Joiner's threat against his dog were willing to make threats to his life.
Published: August 1, 2013 Updated 21 hours ago
http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/08/01/3419997/viral-indignation.html#storylink=cpy
By Erin Tracy — The Modesto Bee
CERES — A Ceres man learned the effectiveness of social media quickly after his threat to shoot his dog went viral and resulted in police officers knocking on his front door.
The Facebook threat came to light after Mark Joiner II, 28, posted a photograph of a dog on his personal page Wednesday, saying he wanted to get rid of it because the dog defecated on his bed and chewed up his belongings.
"Anybody want her? ... She's FREE," he posted. "Pick her up today or she will be shot and stuck in a hole by 9 p.m." He went on to offer anyone who takes the dog $20.
Other Facebook members, including several from out of state, took screen shots of the page and posted it on the Ceres Police Department's page, asking investigators to look into the matter.
The 2-month-old miniature Papillon named Stella was well Thursday morning when police went to check on the dog.
Joiner said Thursday afternoon that he would never hurt his dogs — he also has a 12-year-old pit bull named Brutus — and that the post was meant to be a joke.
Ceres police said they fielded nearly 50 reports from at least five states.
Joiner said he knew the police were coming because he said the Sheriff's Department already had visited his parents' home, and they'd also received phone calls from about a dozen strangers who offered to take the dog.
Ironically, many of the people appalled by Joiner's threat against his dog were willing to make threats to his life.