A Southern Calif. man has been arrested after police said he went on an hours-long crime spree, killing more than 80 animals.
Vicente Joseph Arroyo of Prunedale allegedly “began randomly shooting multiple weapons and killed 81 animals,” including miniature horses, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, ducks and other birds “during an approximate 3-hour period,” according to a press release from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, Sept. 4.
Police began receiving calls regarding gunfire early Tuesday morning, Sept. 3, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Per the outlet, Prunedale residents within a five-mile radius were ordered to shelter in place as SWAT teams and other agencies, including the Seaside Fire Department and Gonzales Police Department, responded.
After obtaining a search warrant, detectives recovered a total of 15 weapons including five long rifles, a shotgun, a handgun, an unserialized assault rifle and handgun (commonly referred to as “ghost guns”) and “7 additional firearms and ammunition,” the MCSO said in its release.
“Additional ammunition in varying calibers was also seized bringing the estimated total of rounds of ammunition to near or above 2000 rounds,” police added.
Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto said in a statement, “It is without a doubt that the warrant served by our deputies and detectives, which has resulted in the seizure of these additional weapons, has made our community safer. I am confident that we have prevented another tragedy from happening in the future.”
The Times 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 Office.
“I’ve been in law enforcement for 24 years and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Rosas told the Times in a phone interview. “Being an animal lover, they become part of your family, and for them to be taken in this manner is horrible.”
The SPCA Monterey County Humane Investigations team was also at the scene. SPCA Monterey County spokesperson Beth Brookhouser told the Times that only five parakeets survived, however, they were “severely injured” and “needed to be humanely euthanized to end their suffering.”
Per MCSO’s press release, Arroyo was taken to the Monterey County Jail where he was booked for violation of Willful Discharge of a Firearm with Gross Negligence; Cruelty to Animals; Illegal Possession of Assault Weapon; Vandalism and Criminal Threats.
He was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Arroyo’s bail was first set at $50,000, but detectives with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office obtained a bail enhancement. He was booked into the Monterey County Jail on $1,000,000 bail where he remains as of Wednesday evening.
It is not immediately clear if Arroyo has legal counsel.
And ‘YES’ the Kamaltoe Ho would indeed bail him out, in a heartbeat.
What do you want to bet he is an illegal alien, turned loose by the left wing snow flakes and was probably deported several times but never charged and convicted for his crimes. Another Cali criminal that has more rights than any of his victims.
Not even Kamala will bail him out for that.
That is an absurdly ridiculous comment on an inhuman, inhumane, horrific crime. Your heart (if indeed you have one) should be bleeding for those 81 innocent animal victims instead of trying to stir up the political pot with senseless childish rhetoric, not unlike a well known mindless orange blob.
I thought you just said not to stir the political pot and take a shot at Trump. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised all democrats are hypocrites and liars.
Seriously just said not to make this political and then say that? I would expect nothing less from someone who supports aHO!
Seriously don’t think you give 2 sh**s about animals think you are a h ypocrite. Practice what you preachpathetic.
Yes the Ho would bail him out.
Oh yes she would. Just look at the lowlife trash she bailed out in Minnesota. Kamala is just disgusting.
I’ve never heard of anything so heartbreaking in all my life.
All those beautiful creatures gone!
End this vermin for the good of all!