File photo of a Revere police cruiser
A man appeared in court last week after fatally stabbing his dog and assaulting his roommate in Revere, Massachusetts, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Police responded to a first aid call at a Lowell Street apartment a week earlier, in the early morning hours of Aug. 30, according to the office of Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden.
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Shortly before 1 a.m., officers found 57-year-old Don Algeni lying in a bed with blood on both arms, prosecutors said. He was allegedly screaming that he wanted police to kill him.
Beside his bed, Algeni's dog was found with at least five stab wounds. "A slash wound to the dog's neck was so deep his head was almost severed," the district attorney's office wrote in a press release.
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Authorities say Algeni lost consciousness and was brought to a hospital.
According to prosecutors, Algeni's roommate said he banged on her bedroom door around 9 p.m. the night before and demanded that she open it, adding that he had a key and could enter on his own. She showed police an Aug. 23 video in which prosecutors say Algeni was screaming at her and throwing a cup in her direction.
The woman also told police Algeni had told her about a week earlier, "I'm going out and I'm not going out alone."
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If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.
"This is a tragic and terrifying situation for everyone involved, including the first responders," Hayden said in a statement. "Sadly, a defenseless animal was brutally attacked and killed. It's yet another example of how unpredictable 911 calls can be and an example of responders handling their responsibilities with care and restraint."
Authorities say knives and swords were seized from the apartment, and that a 12-inch Bowie knife was found covered in blood.
Algeni was arraigned last week on charges of animal cruelty, malicious killing or injury to a domestic animal, and assault and battery on a family or household member. He was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing Thursday, prosecutors said.
It was not immediately clear if Algeni had an attorney who could answer to the charges.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
