Cat shot with arrows, beaten to death, videotaped
Lincoln, NE (US)Incident Date: Friday, Mar 13, 2009
County: Lancaster
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Andrew Kratz
» Jacob Weichel
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
A pair of Lancaster County teenagers is facing serious charges after cell phone camera evidence leads investigators to a shocking case of animal abuse.
The teens are accused of beating a pet cat to death and recording it on a cell phone camcorder.
Officers said the pet was an adult tabby cat that the pair of 17-year-olds found at a home east of Lincoln.
Detectives said the teens shot the cat with a bow and arrow.
"The arrow did exit the cat but did not cause the cat to die," Capt. Ben Houchin said.
Officers said the teens then they took the cat by the tail and slammed it two times on a picnic table.
"[They] picked up a log and struck the cat with the log on the ground," Houchin said.
One of the teens' 14-year-old brother recorded 15 seconds of the abuse on his cell phone camcorder.
"What's also kind of disturbing is you can hear laughter on the video tape of the kids laughing while this was happening," Houchin said.
Waverly school officials called law enforcement after the two teens showed the video to other students.
'The people who viewed this incident were very disturbed by it and upset," Houchin said.
The 17-year-olds were ticketed for animal cruelty and since the cat died, they could face a class four felony charge.
School officials wouldn't comment if any disciplinary action had been taken against the students.
The interim superintendent did say staff had a concern about what they saw.
"It is a difficult situation and a serious situation. We will take a long look at this and work with law enforcement, work with the students and their families to further address all the concerns," the superintendent said.
People in the Lincoln community say they're shocked by the case.
"It's tremendously upsetting. It's an unconscionable act," Capital Humane Society member Bob Downey said.
CHS members said abuse like that has to be a red flag for more serious problems.
"Leading to a higher level, including mass shootings and things of that nature. So this does need to be handled quite seriously," Downey said.
Sheriff investigators said the teens' parents have been fully cooperating in the case and they say the parents are equally upset.
Both mothers broke down in tears after hearing the accusations against their sons, officers said.
Case UpdatesOne of two 17-year-old's accused of animal cruelty in connection to the killing of a cat in March pleaded no contest last week in Lancaster County Juvenile Court.
Andrew Kratz is set for disposition Oct. 6.
The second boy, Jacob Weichel, denied the allegation in Juvenile Court Monday, and is set for trial Sept. 18.
In July, a judge transferred their cases from adult court.
Sheriff's deputies alleged Weichel shot an adult male tabby cat with a bow and arrow March 13 at his family's home northeast of Lincoln. The arrow went through the cat, but didn't kill it.
Then, they alleged, Kratz picked the cat up by the tail and hit it against a picnic table twice, then picked up a log and dropped it onto the cat. The cat died.
The allegations came out six days later, after the boys showed a cellphone video of the incident at Waverly High School, where they'll be seniors this fall. | Source: JournalStar.com - Aug 10, 2009
Update posted on Aug 10, 2009 - 10:29PM |
Two 17-year-old Waverly High School boys are facing felony charges after killing a cat.
According to Captain Ben Houchin of the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office, the sheriff's office was notified March 19 by school officials after a student reported seeing a cell phone video showing the 17-year-old boys killing and mutilating a cat.
The incident allegedly occurred on March 13, at one of the boy's home near 148th Street and Havelock Avenue, about four miles south of Waverly, where the farm cat had lived. Houchin said the boys had been feeding and taking care of the cat prior.
Houchin said deputies found out that allegedly one of the 17 year olds from Eagle shot the cat with a bow and arrow at the other boy's residence. The arrow struck the cat, but did not kill it. The other boy, who lived at the residence, picked the cat up by its tail and struck against a picnic table twice and then struck it with a log to finally kill it. The boys then disposed of the cat discarded the body along a tree line near the residence.
The two 17-year-olds are being charged with felony animal abuse charges that carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or $10,000 fine. | Source: The Waverly News - March 20, 2009
Update posted on Mar 22, 2009 - 10:58PM |
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