A Southern Calif. man has been arrested after police mentioned he went on an hours-long crime spree, killing greater than 80 animals.
Vicente Joseph Arroyo of Prunedale allegedly “started randomly taking pictures a number of weapons and killed 81 animals,” together with miniature horses, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, geese and different birds “throughout an approximate 3-hour interval,” in accordance with a press release from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Workplace on Wednesday, Sept. 4.
Police started receiving calls concerning gunfire early Tuesday morning, Sept. 3, the Los Angeles Times reported.
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Per the outlet, Prunedale residents inside a five-mile radius had been ordered to shelter in place as SWAT groups and different businesses, together with the Seaside Hearth Division and Gonzales Police Division, responded.
After acquiring a search warrant, detectives recovered a complete of 15 weapons together with 5 lengthy rifles, a shotgun, a handgun, an unserialized assault rifle and handgun (generally known as “ghost weapons”) and “7 extra firearms and ammunition,” the MCSO mentioned in its launch.
“Further ammunition in various calibers was additionally seized bringing the estimated whole of rounds of ammunition to close or above 2000 rounds,” police added.
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Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto mentioned in a press release, “It’s no doubt that the warrant served by our deputies and detectives, which has resulted within the seizure of those extra weapons, has made our group safer. I’m assured that now we have prevented one other tragedy from occurring sooner or later.”
The Occasions added that the 39-year-old suspect and the animals lived on the property, citing Cmdr. Andres Rosas, a spokesperson for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Workplace.
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“I’ve been in regulation enforcement for twenty-four years and I’ve by no means seen something like this,” Rosas informed the Occasions in a telephone interview. “Being an animal lover, they develop into a part of your loved ones, and for them to be taken on this method is horrible.”
The SPCA Monterey County Humane Investigations crew was additionally on the scene. SPCA Monterey County spokesperson Beth Brookhouser informed the Occasions that solely 5 parakeets survived, nevertheless, they had been “severely injured” and “wanted to be humanely euthanized to finish their struggling.”
Per MCSO’s press launch, Arroyo was taken to the Monterey County Jail the place he was booked for violation of Willful Discharge of a Firearm with Gross Negligence; Cruelty to Animals; Unlawful Possession of Assault Weapon; Vandalism and Legal Threats.
He was additionally charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Arroyo’s bail was first set at $50,000, however detectives with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Workplace obtained a bail enhancement. He was booked into the Monterey County Jail on $1,000,000 bail the place he stays as of Wednesday night.
It’s not instantly clear if Arroyo has authorized counsel.
