MESA, Ariz. — The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is investigating a dog being shot that was reported in the Mesa area Wednesday morning.

Officers were dispatched to a report of a shooting near the intersection of Ellsworth Road and Pueblo Avenue around 10 a.m. Upon arrival, officers were told a dog had been shot by its owner, and the animal was transported to a veterinarian for treatment.

MCSO said a man is in custody and police are continuing to investigate.

“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix metropolitan area, considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.

Besides Phoenix, the Valley also includes other major cities such as:

• Mesa
• Chandler
• Scottsdale
• Tempeh
• Glendale
• surprise
• Peoria
• Gilbert
• El Mirage
• Avondale
• Litchfield Park
• Goodyear
• Buckeye

Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or the “West Valley” depends on where it is located in relation to Phoenix.

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the Valley region's cities have a combined population of 4,845,832, making it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country, behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.

How big is Maricopa County?

According to the 2020 census, Maricopa County has a population of 4,485,414, making it the fourth most populous county in the United States.

The county is home to approximately 63% of Arizona's population and covers an area of ​​9,224 square miles, which means the county is larger than seven U.S. states: Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

Maricopa County is also home to one of the largest park systems in the country. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks, including hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers, campgrounds, and more.

The county seat is Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the fifth most populous city in the United States according to the census.

The county was named for a Native American tribe called the Maricopa or Piipache.