(LAS VEGAS) — Prosecutors in Nevada said they’re looking to try the teenage girl accused of stabbing three horses in adult court.
Officers responded to a barn in Las Vegas early Saturday and found three horses “intentionally injured with a sharp object,” Las Vegas police said.
A teenage girl who was in Las Vegas for an equestrian competition was identified as a possible suspect, according to police and the National Barrel Horse Association. She allegedly had access to the barn and authorities believe she may have used a knife to wound the horses, police said.
The horses’ injuries were not life-threatening, but they were expected to keep the animals from competing at this weekend’s event, police said in a statement.
The teen, who was at a nearby hotel, was taken into custody and booked for 12 counts of willful/malicious kill/maim/torture animal — horse and three counts of felony malicious destruction of private property over $5,000, police said.
The Clark County District Attorney’s office said Tuesday that it wants the teen charged in adult court and said it’s “reviewing the matter to determine what charges to file which may include willful or malicious torture, maiming, or killing of an animal and felony malicious destruction of property.”
“These allegations involve deliberate acts of extreme cruelty against defenseless animals and have had a significant impact on the victims, the owners, and the broader equestrian community,” Clark County DA Steve Wolfson said in a statement.
The teen is next due in court on Thursday. A separate hearing will be scheduled for a judge to determine if the case should be moved to adult court, the DA’s office said.
The suspect was a competitor in the NBHA’s Professional’s Choice Vegas Super Show this weekend, according to the organization.
“The situation was addressed immediately in coordination with the National Barrel Horse Association, the South Point Hotel & Casino Security, Metro Police, and all appropriate parties,” the NBHA said in a statement.
“All appropriate steps have been taken to ensure the well-being of all horses,” the organization added.
The owner of one of the injured horses spoke out in a statement to ABC News, saying, “this situation is absolutely devastating.”
“To see [my horse] Detail who is my entire world and my best friend, in so much pain, helpless and injured,” said the owner, who did not want to be named.
The owner alleged that the teenage suspect follows her on social media and “has made comments and attempts about trying to meet me and Detail at last year’s NBHA Supershow.”
“This year she happened to be in the same warmup pen at the same time as me and officially met me and Detail. This was one night before the stabbing,” the owner said. “She made comments on Detail’s markings.”
ABC News has also reached out to the owners of the other two injured horses.
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