A vigil to honor felines slain by an accused serial cat killer in Santa Ana, California, took a violent turn when attendees decided they would track the suspect down themselves… but got the wrong house.
The vigil came one week after Santa Ana Police arrested a man who they said murdered dozens of cats in a neighborhood in the city.
Residents claimed that the suspected cat killer used a needle to inject a substance into one of the cats, and another resident told FOX 11 Los Angeles that they found their cat hanging from a tree.
The suspect, identified as 45-year-old Alejandro Oliveros Acosta, allegedly confessed to carrying out the heinous crimes to police. He bonded out and was released from jail Thursday, police confirmed.
During Sunday night's vigil for the cats, a mob surrounded both sides of a house across the street from Acosta's home that the crowd believed belonged to his brother.
The outlet reported that the mob demanded that he come out, and began to break windows and even pepper-sprayed the man who lived in the home as children were seen watching the whole ordeal unfold from inside.
The victim, who did not want to be identified, told FOX 11 that he is not Acosta's brother, but that the alleged cat killer is related to his brother-in-law. The victim then claimed he had not seen or heard from Acosta since his arrest.
It took more than an hour for Santa Ana police to arrive on the scene, FOX 11 reported.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Santa Ana Police Department for comment, but did not hear back.
FOX 11 reported that the crowd continued to chant outside the wrong home and accused the residents of collaborating with the cat murderer, despite police declaring it an unlawful assembly.
"Last night, during a vigil related to this case, several individuals became unruly, vandalized property, and threw objects in a neighborhood. While we support the community’s right to peacefully assemble, the Santa Ana Police Department will not tolerate acts of violence, vandalism, or any threats to public safety," the police department released in a statement on X.
"Any damage to life or property will have consequences, and those engaging in criminal behavior will be held accountable. We appreciate the community’s cooperation and patience as this case moves through the legal system," the statement continued.
A victim told FOX 11 that they knew nothing about Acosta's alleged crimes and were terrified by the crowds' actions.
"The peaceful protesting wasn't so peaceful. They're scaring kids here. It's scaring the whole family. There are kids, seven kids in this house. Two little babies, one that is autistic. You know, breaking our fences… pepper spraying us for no reason. If you did what you did, I didn't know anything about it. You know, when we found out, we were shocked," the victim told FOX 11.
Over several weeks, the Santa Ana Police Department said they received multiple disturbing reports involving the suspected abuse and killing of cats in a local neighborhood.
Police said the reports alleged that a man had been luring neighborhood cats to and around his property, where he then harmed or killed them.
Detectives arrested Acosta on Wednesday morning, where he was then taken into custody and booked on felony charges related to animal cruelty.
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Neighbors told FOX 11 they believe their cats may have been victims of Acosta, and are planning to report those missing cats to police.
In response to Acosta bonding out of jail, police said "the right to bail is protected under the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution," and that individuals who are arrested in California "may post bail based on predetermined bail schedules established under the California Penal Code for certain offenses."
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"These schedules provide standardized bail amounts depending on the nature of the alleged crime," police said in a statement shared on X. "At arraignment, it is within the discretion of the court to review and, if warranted, revoke or adjust bail conditions based on the circumstances presented. Ultimately, any modification to bail is a judicial decision made in accordance with the law."
