Dog Fatally Shot, Owner Pepper Sprayed During Home Invasion In Naperville: Cops

NAPERVILLE — Police say two people broke into a home in Naperville, pepper-sprayed a resident and fatally shot a 3-year-old dog.

Andre Bridges, 35, of DeKalb, and Nicole Smith, 40, of Naperville, were charged with home invasion causing injury, home invasion while armed with a firearm, aggravated cruelty to animals and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon — no FOID card in connection with Monday's incident.

Police were called to an apartment the 30W000 block of Capistrano Court around 1:15 p.m. Monday for a report of a home invasion. The resident told police he had been sprayed with pepper spray and his dog had been shot to death during the home invasion.

An investigation by the DuPage County Sheriff's Division led police to identify Smith and Bridges as suspects.

"The level of cruelty alleged in this case is heartbreaking and extremely disturbing," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.

He added, "The unprovoked attack on the victim and subsequent shooting of his defenseless companion, as alleged against the defendants, shows a disturbing level of cruelty and disregard for both human and animal life and a shocking willingness to cause physical and emotional pain to others. In DuPage County we have zero tolerance for the type of behavior alleged in this case and we will prosecute the defendants to the fullest extent of the law. While it is a tragedy that the victim's dog is no longer with him, we are all very thankful that the victim in this case was not more seriously injured."