A dog owner in Islip Terrace is asking for justice for his 4-year-old pit bull who was killed by a pellet gun shot Saturday.

John Balk says he let his dog Jax into his fenced in yard at around 9:45 a.m. After 15 minutes, he says he was surprised Jax didn't come to the back door to be let in. After walking outside to investigate, he found Jax dead with blood coming out of his mouth.

Balk says he wasn't sure if Jax had swallowed a piece of glass or wood. After an autopsy, he was told that his dog had been shot in the chest with a pellet gun.

The owner says he doesn't understand why anyone would want to kill his dog. He described Jax, an 80-pound pit bull, as a "gentle giant."

"I hope they get persecuted, whoever they are. And they need to go to jail. Justice has to be done," Balk told News 12.

Balk says he created a Facebook page, Justice for Jax, to help his cause. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call Suffolk SPCA at 631-382-7722.