Fourth Salem teen arrested in shooting death of neighborhood cat
A fourth teen accused of killing a Salem family's cat, and the suspect police determined to be the shooter, has been arrested.
The 16-year-old was taken into custody Saturday by detectives from the Salem Police Felony Crimes Unit at his residence without incidence, according to a press release. He was booked into the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center on the charge of first-degree aggravated animal abuse.
Officers responded to the call of the shooting death of a family pet named Vortex in the early morning hours of May 10 in the 2200 block of Lee Street SE. The family’s video surveillance captured a recording of the killing of the female cat and was shared in the community.
In the weeks following the incident, three other juvenile suspects, ages 15, 17 and 17, were identified, arrested and referred to juvenile court on charges of first-degree aggravated animal abuse. One of the teens also faces a charge of evidence tampering.
The alleged shooter was the last of the suspects to be apprehended.
Reporter Whitney Woodworth contributed to this report.
Capi Lynn is a senior reporter for the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips to her at clynn@statesmanjournal.com, and follow her work on Twitter @CapiLynn and Facebook @CapiLynnSJ.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Fourth Salem teen arrested in shooting death of cat
