A group of young men in their 20s shot thousands of BB pellets at a dog tied up outside a restaurant, leading to controversy.

Three men, two active-duty Marines and one civilian, were involved in the incident in Geoje, South Korea. They fired thousands of BB pellets at the dog for about an hour after illegally entering private property.

As a result of the men's actions, the dog suffered severe injuries, including broken teeth and damage to its eyes. The most critically injured dog, named 'SomSom,' ultimately died while receiving treatment.

The police referred the two active-duty Marines to military authorities and charged the civilian with violations of the Animal Protection Act and trespassing.

The victim dog owner stated, "I was asked not to publicize this incident by the military representatives of the perpetrators," adding that the perpetrators threatened, saying, "We will sue you for false accusations."

The animal protection group Beagle Rescue Network declared, "This incident is a deliberate and premeditated crime. It is a serious matter that active-duty soldiers trespassed on private property in the early morning, causing injury and death to innocent animals," and called for severe punishment for the offenders.

According to Article 10 of the Animal Protection Act, anyone who intentionally kills or inflicts physical suffering on an animal can face up to three years in prison or fines of up to 30 million won.

Image source: Instagram 'beaglerescuenetwork'