Kittens thrown from window, run over at shelter - New Cumberland, WV

Saturday, Nov 4, 2006

County: Hancock

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Bradley M. Cianni

Case Updates: 2 update(s) available

Detectives in Hancock County are searching for a man suspected of killing two kittens after deliberately running them over with his car in an animal shelter parking lot.

"What kind of person, honest to God, I would just like to look him in the eye and say how could you do that? How could you do that? What did they do to you? They didn't do anything," said Brenda Hrancho, director of the Hancock County Animal Shelter.

Hrancho asked that question of a man who she said came to the Hancock County Animal Shelter Saturday to drop off two 3-month-old kittens, but she couldn't take them.

"I said we can't accept them, we are at our capacity, we're actually over our limit. He said well they're my girlfriend's cats and she's a Hancock County resident. So I said OK then you need to have her come in and sign off on them," said Hrancho.

Hrancho said the man simply picked the cats up, walked out into the parking lot, and got into his car. Then she said the unthinkable happened.

"I heard screaming, I looked out the window, there was a cat lying in the parking lot. He had deliberately thrown them out the window, backed over one of them and drove over the other one and just left," said Hrancho.

One of the kittens was killed instantly, and other was injured so badly, it had to be euthanized.

Hrancho said they tried chasing him when he took off, but he got away. Now the Hancock County Sheriff's department is on the hunt for him.

They're looking for a white male in his 20s, about 6 feet tall with a medium build and brown hair. He was seen driving a white four-door older Chevrolet car with Ohio license plates.

The shelter is offering a reward for any information leading to his arrest.

If you have information on this case, please contact:
Hancock County Sheriff's Dept
(304)564-3911

Case Updates

An East Liverpool man has been indicted by a grand jury on cruelty to animal charges stemming from a Nov. 4, 2006, incident at the Hancock County Animal Shelter. On Wednesday, the Hancock County Grand Jury returned a true bill of indictment against Bradley M. Cianni, of Jackmon Street in East Liverpool, on two counts of cruelty to animals. The indictment alleges that Cianni committed the offense by "unlawfully, feloniously and intentionally and maliciously killing an animal, to-wit: driving his vehicle over a kitten causing its death." The incident occurred at the Hancock County Animal Shelter along Gas Valley Road in New Manchester. "It's the most horrendous thing I've ever seen - probably in my entire life," shelter Director Brenda Hrancho said days following the Nov. 4, 2006, incident. On that day at approximately 1 p.m., Hrancho said a male approached her and shelter workers wanting to drop off two kittens, aged 8 to 10 weeks. Shelter workers explained to the man that the shelter was full and asked to see his driver's license as part of the intake process. "He said he had an Ohio identification," Hrancho said. After being told the shelter was for Hancock County residents, the male suspect then said the cats belonged to his girlfriend, a resident of Hancock County. Shelter officials told him his girlfriend would have to come to the shelter to fill out the required paperwork. The man then left peacefully and went to his vehicle with the kittens. "He didn't seem upset at all," Hrancho said. However, witnesses outside the shelter started to scream when the suspect "tossed the kittens out of the window and ran over them," according to Hrancho. Those witnesses included two children who were visiting the shelter. One kitten died immediately while Hrancho said she had to have the other euthanized.

Source: The Review - Sept 13, 2007 Update posted on Sep 13, 2007 - 4:35PM

A non-profit group is offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who ran over two kittens. Police said a man threw the two 3-month-old kittens from his car window and deliberately ran then over while children were watching. The incident happened Nov. 4 at the Hancock County Animal Shelter after operators there said they couldn't take any more animals. The suspect is described as a white male in his 20s, about 6 feet tall with a medium build and brown hair. He was last seen driving a white four-door older Chevrolet car with Ohio license plates containing the letters FAX or FAY, and the number 1. Anyone with more information is asked to call the NEWS9 Lauttamus Security Crimebusters Tipline at 800 862 BUST.

Source: KTOV - Nov 10, 2006 Update posted on Nov 13, 2006 - 11:16AM

References

« WV State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Hancock County, WV

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