LAS VEGAS -- Metro Police arrested two Berkeley law
school students for killing an exotic bird Friday morning at the Flamingo
Hotel's wildlife habitat.
Eric Cuellar and Justin Teixeira, both 24, were arrested
after witnesses reported two men throwing a dead bird, while laughing and
talking about killing it.
The large bird was a 14-year-old helmeted guinea fowl.
Cuellar and Teixeira were captured on video surveillance
chasing the bird into trees and then emerging carrying the bird's body and
severed head.
"According to the security people, the men were
laughing and joking about the fact of what they had done," Sgt. John
Sheahan of Metro Police said. "Security had allegedly seen these men
chasing the bird into a brushy treed area of that habitat and then coming out
of that area with the bird in two pieces."
The pair told police officers they attend Berkeley
University in northern California, but refused to speak with officers otherwise.
Berkeley student identification cards were found in their possession.
Animal rights activists are outraged, but are glad the pair
are being tried under a tough new law that makes killing an animal a felony.
Cuellar and Teixeira were booked into the Clark County
Detention Center and are facing felony charges of conspiracy and willful
malicious torture/killing of wildlife.
Anyone with any information concerning this incident is
urged to contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385-5555.
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