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Man Sought After San Francisco Dog Park Melee Caught On Camera

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A violent confrontation at a popular San Francisco dog park Thursday evening was caught on camera and could lead to criminal charges against one of the people involved.

The scene at Duboce Park – one of the City's most popular dog parks – started early Thursday night with dogs at play and ended with a fight after one pet owner got violent.

The cell phone video shows a man kicking a black Labrador before being tackled to the ground.

The incident started like an average confrontation in a dog park.

"The basset hound was making all this noise," said witness Brook Stevenson. "He went between this other owner's legs, and the owner of the basset hound came out of nowhere and pushed this guy."

According to Stevenson, the man who was pushed had nothing to do with the situation. But the actual attack on the dog occurred after the owner of the basset hound became angrier.

"The basset hound got scared and started yelping, probably just because it was scared," explained Devin Hall, another witness. "The owner overreacted and it escalated and he would not let go of this woman's dog."

That was when the crowd pulled him off and the cell phone video begins. One of the bystanders is seen grabbing the basset hound owner by the arms so the owner of the Labrador and her dog could get away.

While people the crowd interposed themselves between the basset hound owner and the owner of the Lab.

"Why don't you take some [expletive] responsibility for your dog!" the basset hound owner yells in the video. "That's why I'm mad! That's why I'm mad!"

But as the woman and her Laborador move to exit the park, the man can be seen going around the crowd and kicking the Lab in its side.

Duboce Park fight
Fight in Duboce Park where man kicks dog (CBS)

The crowd immediately erupts in outcry as one bystander tackles the basset hound owner.

People can be heard saying that they are calling the police, but the suspect is seen picking up his basset hound and walking away.

Police arrived and took information from witnesses, but the suspect was long gone. Police are reportedly investigating the situation and the man is being sought for questioning.

The man was last seeing wearing a checkered long-sleeve button-down shirt, dark pants and wearing a tan baseball cap and tan hiking boots.

One regular at Duboce Park told KPIX he hopes the man doesn't come back.

"Everyone blew up after that. You don't come to a dog park where everybody loves dogs and kick somebody's dog for no good reason," said Stevenson. "I mean, dogs will be dogs."

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