Copy cat killings? 2 kittens fatally injured in Sacramento County neighborhood
SACRAMENTO COUNTY -- Detectives say they have determined that the person caught on video with an injured cat is not suspected of any wrongdoing.
On Friday, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office announced that they had identified and contacted the person in the video captured Sunday night in Foothill Farms. The person has been "completely cooperative," detectives say, and confirmed he isn't suspect of a crime.
The person was seen walking up to a random home, ringing the doorbell, then showing a badly injured orange kitten to the camera before leaving it at the doorstep and running off.
Still, the fact remains that the cat was one of two that were found fatally injured in that neighborhood.
Further, it wasn't the first time in recent months CBS13 has reported on a case of animal cruelty against cats -- prompting concerns that there's a copycat cat killer on the loose.
(Note: CBS13 blurred his face in airing the video the as he is not currently charged with a crime.)
"Yeah, it was really hurt. It was meowing really bad," said Katie, the neighbor who found the kitten on her porch and provided CBS13 with the Ring video.
Katie asked that her identity be concealed due to fear of retaliation.
The Ring video captures the heartbreaking sound of the kitten continuously crying out in pain. After hearing those cries while inside their home, Katie and her daughter opened the door to their porch and found the stray kitten.
They brought it inside for the night and tried their best to care for it.
They say they're more disturbed by the person they call "smug," seen on video smiling into the Ring camera and seemingly showing off the injured kitten. His strange demeanor leads Katie to believe he is likely involved in hurting the cat.
"It's really disgusting. It makes me sick to my stomach. He was super proud of himself," said Katie.
The orange kitten wasn't the only one found Sunday night with major injuries.
A grey tabby kitten, believed to be from the same litter, was found injured by a neighbor less than a block away.
Both kittens were taken to the Roseville-based Kitten Crossing Rescue on Monday for emergency care.
"The sad part is, they were both very friendly kittens. It's heartbreaking," said Natalie Mark, a veterinary technician for the rescue.
Mark tried to save the lives of both kittens.
The orange kitten seen in the Ring video had a severe hip injury, seemingly from being stomped on or hit onto the ground.
The grey kitten found down the street was paralyzed with a severed spine and tail. Mark says it is possibly from being picked up and thrown by its tail.
"In your professional opinion, does this seem like injuries that are obviously intentional?" asked CBS13 reporter Ashley Sharp.
Mark answered, yes.
"The nature of the way it looks and given the sibling, we are assuming it is intentional," said Mark.
Mark added that there is no physical evidence that the injuries of either cat came from another animal or being hit by a car.
Neither kitten had any bruising, scrapes or any obvious injuries outside of their major internal ones.
Monday night, Mark and the veterinarians at the rescue had to make the tough decision to humanely euthanize both kittens due to the injuries being so severe.
"It shatters me," said Mark. "Just to see the nature of some humans. It really makes me question humanity."
It's not the first time in recent months Ring video has caught a young person in the act, seemingly hurting cats.
Colin Lendewig was also caught on camera, now accused of stealing and killing two family cats in Sacramento County. He is now facing felony animal cruelty charges.
So is this new case a copycat?
Neighbors fear escalation, worried someone might be prowling their streets looking for animals to hurt.
"It starts with animals. And it progresses to people. It's scary," said Katie.
Either way, they want whoever is responsible for hurting the kittens charged.
"It's just not right, and I want justice to be served," said Katie.
She filed a police report with Sacramento County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday afternoon. Animal control investigators are already on the case, asking her for details and the surveillance video.
Anyone who knows anything should call the sheriff's office.
Neighbors across Sacramento County, tied to the social media outcry in the Colin Lendewig animal abuse case, have now offered up a $1,500 reward for information leading to an arrest.
