Orlando police are on the lookout for a man suspected of strangling a signature Lake Eola black swan late on the night of Sept 18.
The attack, witnessed by several bystanders on the south side of Lake Eola toward Central Boulevard, occurred between 10:30 and 10:45 p.m.
Lt. Luis Tanzi said a witness called police to say a white male was seen "choking a black swan and then throwing it in the lake."
Tanzi said investigators have several leads and are confident they will have a suspect by the end of the week. If arrested, the person could be charged with cruelty to animals or abuse.
Swans have been at Lake Eola for years. Two died in 1989 -- one of them was strangled -- and since then some have died because of pesticide use and illness. Case UpdatesOn Thursday, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals announced a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the swan slayer.
Police have a suspect in the case, but a witness to the attack didn't get a good look at the suspect's face and was unable to identify him in a lineup, spokeswoman Barbara Jones said. Now investigators are hoping more witnesses will come forward.
A witness described the killer as a white man with blond stubble over his shaved head. He was about 5-foot-1 and wore a baggy white T-shirt and black shorts. Police think he was 23 and used a Tennessee identification card earlier in the day.
With the twist of his wrists, the man killed an unofficial mascot of downtown Orlando's famous park, according to the witness.
A fixture at city lakes as early as 1910, swans were reintroduced to Lake Eola in 1988 and have since become a highlight of the park, said Ron Barna, Lake Eola Park manager. The victim was one of 10 Australian black swans at the park. Six white swans live there as well.
"People love the heck out of them," Barna said.
Visitors come to the park just to feed the swans. Some pay to ride in boats shaped like them. All the friendly attention has taught birds to trust parkgoers.
"It makes them think all humans are harmless," Barna said.
The avian victim, who was hatched at the park, let his assailant come close enough to grab him by his neck, said witness Anna Horton of Orlando. She was feeding swans and ducks with her family 30 feet away about 10:30 p.m. when the attack took place.
As the man strangled the swan, the bird beat its wings frantically against a concrete embankment. Horton shouted, and the man let go.
"The guy just stood there and looked at me," she said. Then he turned and walked away. The young bird floundered out a few feet into the lake and died. Horton found a security guard, who called police.
The swan didn't have a chance.
"They don't weigh more than 10 to 12 pounds. They're mostly feathers," Barna said.
The suspect was last seen walking west toward Rosalind Avenue.
Animal abuse is a felony, Jones said.
The swan's attacker probably drank beer earlier that evening at Lake Eola Cafe, Jones said. A man matching the description given by Horton showed a Tennessee ID when a server carded him, she said.
That man also told a park ranger he was set to do community service at the lake the next day, and he should "trash the park on Sunday night to make it worth his while," according to a police report. | Source: Newsday - Sept 23, 2005
Update posted on Sep 23, 2005 - 9:38AM |
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