Two people in Kentucky, including a juvenile, charged for allegedly stabbing a cat
Two people, including one juvenile, in Knox County have been charged for allegedly stabbing a cat, according to the Knox County Sheriff’s Department.
Authorities learned about the stabbing Friday after receiving a call about a video that showed the incident. The sheriff’s department said they identified one person in the video, 20-year-old Gabriel Messer of Barbourville, from his tattoos.
Messer was previously charged with second-degree criminal abuse involving a juvenile and was already in jail at the Knox County Detention Center when investigators learned about his alleged role in the cat stabbing, according to the sheriff’s department. Messer admitted to stabbing the cat but said the idea came from the juvenile.
Authorities spoke to the juvenile and he blamed Messer, according to the sheriff’s department. Investigators determined the juvenile filmed the stabbing and he was arrested and booked into the Breathitt County Juvenile Detention Center.
The juvenile was charged with torture of a dog/cat and first-degree criminal mischief, the sheriff’s department said. Messer was charged with second-degree cruelty to animals and third-degree criminal mischief.
The suspects could face additional charges, as the owner of the cat told investigators she had other animals stabbed in a similar manner, according to the sheriff’s department.
The sheriff’s office didn’t clarify the severity of the animals’ injuries.
Messer’s bond is set at $5,500, according to the sheriff’s department.
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