A former Alabama community college athlete is accused of fatally beating a duck with a baseball bat, AL.com reported.
Thomas "Landon" Grant, 19, was charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a felony, stemming from the May 5 incident, the website reported. Police said there may be additional arrests. Alexander City police Chief Jay Turner said a second arrest warrant has been issued, but the student is out of state, according to The Outlook. That student will be arrested and extradited back to Alabama, Turner told the newspaper
The white Muscovy duck was taken from a pond at Central Alabama Community College in Alexander City, AL.com reported.
Alexander City police Detective Robert Oliver said a group of baseball players from the college attended a party that night. When they returned to campus, they went to the pond and took the duck, the website reported.
The duck was then struck with a bat and was put in a bag, AL.com reported. Police said a student then decided to put the animal "out of its misery" and continued to strike the duck, finally disposing of it -- still in a bag -- in a wooded area, the website reported..
Oliver told AL.com that a coach heard the commotion and found the duck gravely wounded. The duck was taken to a veterinarian but had to be euthanized, Oliver said.
Police said their investigation led to the arrest of Grant on May 31. He was booked into the Tallapoosa County Jail and was released the same day after posting $5,000 bond, AL.com reported.
"We pursued an investigation to see if criminal charges were warranted," Turner told the Outlook. "Our investigation showed it did warrant criminal charges. Two warrants for arrest were obtained for aggravated cruelty to animals, a Class C felony."
Grant will appear in court in late July, the website reported.
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