The Salem Police Department is asking residents to help identify a man caught on video repeatedly striking a small dog near Northgate Park in northeast Salem.

Officers responded to the area of Wooddale Avenue NE and 32nd Avenue NE at approximately 6:12 a.m. Saturday, July 25, after a witness reported seeing someone hit a dog, according to a department news release cited by KGW.

The witness called police roughly an hour after the incident occurred, which the department said complicated efforts to locate the person involved.

When officers arrived, no suspect was found.

Police reviewed video footage the witness provided but were unable to identify the individual in the recording, the department said.

The video shows a man wearing a red shirt and a backwards baseball cap hitting a small dog on the head several times, according to KOIN 6 News, which received a separate copy of the footage from a viewer.

The department has not named a suspect or made an arrest. An active investigation is underway, according to police, and no arrest had been made as of July 27.

Salem police are asking anyone who recognizes the man in the video or has information about the incident to call the department's non-emergency line at 503-588-6123 and reference case number SMP26061387.

What residents should know

The intersection of Wooddale Avenue NE and 32nd Avenue NE sits at the edge of Northgate Park in northeast Salem. Animal abuse is a criminal offense in Oregon under ORS 167.322, carrying potential felony charges depending on the severity of harm.

No additional details about the dog's condition or breed have been released. Police have not said whether the dog belonged to the suspect or to someone else.

The department has not publicly released the video; the footage aired by KOIN 6 News came from a viewer who independently provided it to the station.

Residents who witness animal abuse in progress should call 911. For non-emergency tips on this case or others, the Salem Police Department's line is 503-588-6123.