A man from Staten Island, New York City, is facing animal cruelty charges after prosecutors say he killed a squirrel with a bow and arrow for a patently absurd reason.
Jonathan Mangia told investigators that he shot and killed the animal on Tuesday because it “gave him a look,” according to a criminal complaint that DNAInfo obtained. He reportedly said he had thrown rocks at the squirrel to scare it away from his home.
“Then the squirrel gave me a look and I took it personal,” Mangia said, according to the complaint.
Mangia also allegedly told police that after being shot, the squirrel was able to flee and remove the arrow from its own body, according to the New York Daily News.
It’s unclear whether that’s true, but an environmental conservation officer spotted the animal dead, covered in blood, and also noticed blood near the window of Mangia’s property, Staten Island Live reports.
The New York Police Department’s 122nd Precinct tweeted about the arrest, referring to it as “illegal hunting” and stating “save archery for the range.”
Officers charged Mangia with torturing and injuring animals, reckless endangerment and violating a state Environmental Conservation Law. He is due to appear in court next on June 27.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the man used a crossbow.
Related
Before You Go
