A person suspected of happening a three-hour taking pictures rampage in Northern California and killing 81 animals, together with miniature horses, goats and chickens, pleaded not responsible to animal cruelty and different prices.
Vicente Arroyo, 39, made his first courtroom look Thursday after Monterey County Sheriff deputies arrested him earlier within the week for allegedly utilizing a number of weapons to shoot the animals being housed in pens and cages on lots within the small neighborhood of Prunedale.
The animal house owners don’t need to be recognized or communicate with the media, Monterey County Sheriff Commander Andres Rosas instructed The Related Press Friday.
“I went out there, and it was a pretty traumatic scene. These were people’s pets,” he mentioned.
One of many miniature horses belonged to the proprietor of the lot the place the animals have been housed, and the opposite 80 belonged to somebody who rented the land to deal with their pets, Rosas mentioned.
Based on courtroom information, Arroyo was charged with killing 14 goats, 9 chickens, seven geese, 5 rabbits, a guinea pig and 33 parakeets and cockatiels. Arroyo can also be charged with killing a pony named Fortunate and two miniature horses named Estrella and Princessa, KSBW-TV reported.
Some animals survived the taking pictures that lasted a number of hours however needed to be euthanized due to the severity of their accidents, Rosas mentioned.
Rosas mentioned Arroyo lived in a camper in a winery subsequent to the lot the place the animals have been saved and {that a} motive isn’t but recognized.
His legal professional, William Pernik, mentioned that after speaking to Arroyo and his household he grew to become involved about his shopper’s psychological competency and requested the decide for a psychological well being analysis.
“We’re dealing with an individual who has very serious charges and who does not appear to be in the right state of mind to understand the proceedings against him,” Pernik mentioned.
Penik mentioned that Arroyo’s household had reached out to numerous nation businesses to get assist for him however that “unfortunately, he did not receive that mental health help in time before this tragic incident.”
The decide ordered Arroyo, who’s being held on a $1 million bail, to endure a psychological analysis.
The courtroom will get an replace on Arroyo’s psychological standing in two weeks, Pernik mentioned.
Authorities obtained a number of 911 calls round 3:25 a.m. Tuesday reporting photographs being fired in Prunedale, an integrated neighborhood about 8 miles (13 kilometers) from the town of Salinas, he mentioned.
Deputies who arrived on the scene may hear photographs being fired, and a shelter-in-place was ordered for a five-mile radius.
Monterey County S.W.A.T. members have been despatched in, and the sheriff’s workplace additionally requested drone help from the close by Seaside Hearth Division and Gonzales Police Division, Rosas mentioned.
Officers in an armored automobile arrested Arroyo with out incident, he mentioned.
Deputies discovered a crashed pickup truck and recovered eight firearms, together with lengthy rifles, shotguns and handguns, on the scene. After executing a search warrant on his camper, they discovered one other seven firearms, together with an unlawful AK-47 assault rifle, two ghost weapons, and about 2,000 rounds of assorted calibers of ammunition, Rosas mentioned.
Prosecutors charged Arroyo with dozens of prices involving animal cruelty, willful discharge of a firearm with gross negligence, unlawful possession of an assault weapon, vandalism, drug possession and making legal threats and terrorizing whereas being in possession of a firearm as a felon.
“This is obviously the most horrific animal cruelty case we’ve ever seen in this county, I’m sure,” Chief Assistant District Legal professional Berkley Brannon instructed KSBW-TV after the Thursday listening to.
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