Texas man tortured terrified cat by repeatedly throwing it into pool, hitting it with shoe, and forcibly holding it underwater
HOUSTON, TEXAS: A Texas man has been arrested and charged after he was caught on a surveillance camera brutally torturing a cat by repeatedly throwing it into a swimming pool and beating it with his shoe when it tried to get out.
In the disturbing incident, which unfolded at a pool at the City Station Apartment Homes complex in 900 Block of Cypress Station Drive in Houston, Texas, on September 7, Javonte Darion Alexander, 22, threw the cat into the pool, hit it with his hands and other objects, and forcibly held it underwater.
In the video, he is seen first hurling the feline into the water before taking off his shoe and striking it repeatedly on the head. His charging documents state that he hit "the cat violently in the head numerous times" and prevented it "from getting out of the pool as it swims to the edge and tries to get out."
Alexander holds the cat underwater for a few seconds, before seemingly having a change of heart and taking it to the side of the pool, where he begins consoling it. But just as it appeared that the violence had ended, he picks it up again and "intensely throws the cat back into the pool and walks off."
The cat managed to crawl out of the pool and lay on the ground, but Alexander returned, grabbed it, and carried it away. Police said it appeared "unconscious or possibly deceased" but conceded that its current condition was unknown.
On September 25, the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (HSPCA) received a tip about the incident and alerted investigators with Harris County Precinct 1.
Speaking about the incident, Constable Alan Rosen, of Harris County Precinct 1, said, "This video is difficult to watch. Anyone who tortures an animal should be held accountable. This cat was defenseless. Our society should not stand for such cruelty to animals."
Investigators identified Alexander as the suspect after they traced the temporary plates on a Cadillac caught entering the facility back to him, following which he was given a three-day notice to leave his apartment because of "criminal activity." When served with the notice, he allegedly claimed he did it because he "had problems with that cat in the past."
Alexander was charged with third-degree felony cruelty to non-livestock animals by torture was released after posting a $10,000 bond. He is scheduled to make his next appearance in court on November 7.
If convicted of his charges, he faces up to 10 years in prison, as well as a fine of up to $10,000.