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"Sicko" Arrested For Torturing Cat By Setting It On Fire
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 26, 2014
Modified Jul 26, 2014
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NYPD
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 26, 2014
Modified Jul 26, 2014
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A Bronx man was arrested after allegedly torturing a cat to death by setting it on fire yesterday.
The police say that at 11 a.m. officers responded to a report about a dead animal in front of 690 East 182nd Street. According to the NYPD, a building superintendent showed the cops a video "of a male pouring fluid on a cat who was lying on the ground in front of the location. The male then proceeded to use a lighter to light the cat on fire before fleeing."
After seeing the suspect in the video, they canvassed the building, police say, and found Ernesto Bailey, 31, in his apartment and arrested him. He has been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, torture of an animal, reckless endangerment and arson. The police released a photograph of the sidewalk where the arson occurred, as well as a truly distressing photo of the dead cat.
One neighbor told the Daily News that Bailey is a "sicko" and said, “The cat was still alive when he was burning him," while another tenant said, "I think [the cat] bit him or scratched him. And then I saw (Bailey) kick it... From there, I smelled smoke and looked outside and I saw something moving in the smoke. I don’t know what possessed him to do that. He must have some sort of mental issues. Only sick people, crazy people, do that. Like serial killers."
Tagged
animal cruelty
animal torture
arson
bronx
sicko
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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