El Paso Man Arrested After Filming Himself Shooting Dog with Gel Blaster

Jesus Armando Ortega, 27, an East El Paso resident, has been arrested and charged with Cruelty to Non-Livestock Animal: Kill/ Poison/ Serious Bodily Injury, a felony. The arrest stems from a video shared on social media that depicted him repeatedly shooting his dog with a “Gel Blaster” gun.

The incident came to light on June 6, 2025, when El Paso Animal Services reported the video to police. The Animal Cruelty Investigation Unit quickly launched an investigation and identified Ortega as the individual who live-streamed the act on a social media platform, showing him shooting his pit bull mix with an Orbeez gun.

Ortega was subsequently arrested and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility. His bond was set at $4,000 by Judge Moore.