California man 'shoots dead over EIGHTY animals' in unexplained bloodbath

A man is accused of killing more than 80 farm animals during a disturbing shooting in rural California.

Vicente Joseph Arroyo, 39, allegedly committed the killings early Tuesday morning over the course of three hours, before being found in a crashed car on the property by police.

His victims ranged in species from ponies and goats to guinea pigs, cops said – adding how a host of chickens, birds, rabbits, and ducks, were killed as well.

A miniature horse was also murdered, as the bloodbath that caused residents nearby to take shelter still remains unexplained. It did, however, end with the suspect’s arrest, and multiple long rifles, shotguns and handguns, being found at the scene.

An illegal assault weapon was also seized from the weapons cache, as it was revealed Some animals survived but were later euthanized. Police in Prunedale issued a statement detailing Arroyo’s arrest.

Scroll down for video: 

The suspect, 39-year-old Salinas resident Vicente Joseph Arroyo, allegedly committed the killings over the course of three hours, before being found in a crashed car on the property by police. His bail has been set at $50,000

‘The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a suspect after he began to randomly fire multiple weapons and killed approximately 80 animals during an approximate 3-hour period,’ the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said.  

‘On Tuesday September 3rd at about 3:25am, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office began receiving multiple calls of numerous shots being fired. 

‘Deputies responded to the scene and upon arrival could hear shots continuing to be fired in the area. A shelter in place order was put into effect.’

The bulletin went on to reveal how ‘various calibers of weapons could be heard being fired’ during the event, which began in the dead of night as families slept.

The firing of hundreds of rounds from the weapons cache followed, ‘in an area that was extremely dark and covered in thick vegetation,’ cops said.  

‘This made it difficult for deputies to immediately locate the person or persons responsible for firing the weapons.’

Because of this, assistance was requested from a Monterey County SWAT team, and a drone was deployed by the Seaside Fire Department and Gonzales Police Department, the sheriff’s office said.

With use of the drone, the suspect and his crashed vehicle were observed within the property – a vineyard set along the 16000 block of Avery Lane, cops said.

His victims ranged in species from ponies and goats to guinea pigs, cops said – adding how a host of chickens, birds, rabbits, and ducks, were killed as well. One of the slain animals is seen here

A miniature horse was also murdered, as the bloodbath that caused residents nearby to take shelter still remains unexplained. More victims are seen here

It did, however, end with the suspect’s arrest – following three hours of straight gunfire that left neighbors horrified

The SWAT team proceeded to approach the suspect in an armored vehicle, statement said, and photos released by the sheriff’s office showed Arroyo getting on his knees and surrendering.

Once the scene was secured and Arroyo was identified, the extent of the killing spree was quickly uncovered. 

Arroyo had killed approximately 80 animals whose bodies littered the property, along with the assortment of rifles, shotguns, handguns, and spent magazines.

Some animals survived but were taken by SPCA to be euthanized, cops revealed – citing the ‘severity of their injuries.’

Who the animals had belonged to, as of writing, remains unknown – as does Arroyo’s motive and ties to the property in question.

The scene he left behind, however, left even the most seasoned investigators disgusted – even those from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals called to the horrifying scene.

This included SPCA Investigator Jacob Duarte, who told KSBW-8 he’s never seen anything like this in his career.

‘Once we arrived, we weren’t exactly sure what we were going to see, what we’re going to run into until we kind of walked into a pony that was shot to death,’ Duarte recalled. 

Multiple long rifles, shotguns and handguns were found at the scene, cops said in a statement Tuesday

An illegal assault weapon was also seized, as were several spent weapons magazines

Some animals survived the onslaught survived but were later euthanized, due to the extent of their injuries, cops said

Even the most seasoned of cops said they were left horrified by the crime scene, which along with guns, was littered with animal corpses 

Police in Prunedale have yet to discern a motive for the mass killing, but are currently investigating

Of the other sights that followed, he conceded it was ‘[s]omething I’ve never seen personally.

‘It was, basically, stop, kind of take a breather,’ the animal rescue official recalled.

‘Let’s kind of get a game on. Let’s do our job and make sure that there is charges pressed for this individual.’

Cops called to the scene said more of the same, while neighbors to the targeted property recalled being awoken in the night to a steady stream of gunshots.

Deputies also said that Arroyo – whose mugshot has yet to be released – may have recently moved to the rural area.

It is a horrible scene,’ Monterey County Sheriff’s Spokesman Andy Rosas said. ‘We are very fortunate that no human lives were lost, but we are estimating that almost 100 animals – different types of animals – were killed. 

‘We don’t have any information that the suspect was looking for anyone specific, but it appears from what we see that the animals were the targets.’

He added: ‘I’ve been doing this for 24-plus years, and, fortunately, I’ve never seen anything like this.’

‘I’ve been doing this for 24-plus years, and, fortunately, I’ve never seen anything like this’, Monterey County Sheriff’s Spokesman Andy Rosas said. ‘We are very fortunate that no human lives were lost, but we are estimating that almost 100 animals… were killed’

SPCA Investigator Jacob Duarte was left similarly horrified, and told KSBW-8 he’s never seen anything like this in his career’

‘I just figured a neighbor was scaring away a coyote,’ added Jason Maynard, a neighbor. ‘Second shot I heard – really not that uncommon out here – same thing. ‘But right after that, it was just a barrage,’ he recalled. ‘B-b-b-boom… [My family and I got] as low as we could get’

Recalling the sheer amount of lives lost, he branded the incident ‘tragic’.

‘I just figured a neighbor was scaring away a coyote,’ added Jason Maynard, a neighbor. ‘Second shot I heard – really not that uncommon out here – same thing.

‘But right after that, it was just a barrage,’ he recalled. ‘B-b-b-boom, for like 15 seconds. 

‘At that point, I knew something wasn’t right.’ 

Motioning with his hands to the vineyard where the suspect was found, Maynard said that was where the nearly three-hour stream of ‘gunfire started’, spurring him, his wife and kids ‘got down and hunkered down on the floor, away from the windows.

‘[We were] as low as we could get,’ he said.

With the suspect now in custody, a new effort to identify each breed – and the accompanying cost of the lost livestock – begins, Duarte said.

‘At this moment, when we were done, we photographed all the animals,’ he told KSBW-8.

‘We’re going to figure out breeds and cost of every single animal if we can.

The local DA said Arroyo, depending on the exact amount of animals killed, could face 10 years in prison. Officials will not know the number until the case is submitted. Investigators said the suspect, who is from Salinas, may have just moved to the area. The investigation is ongoing

‘Chickens can go from like $20. Goats, you can get them for $40 to $60. Horses, a couple hundred,’ he said. ‘That depends on the type of animal.’

The local DA, meanwhile, said that Arroyo, depending on the exact amount of animals killed, could face 10 years in prison. Officials will not know the number until the case is submitted. 

In the interim, Arroyo remains incarcerated on $50,000 bail.

He has been charged with willful discharge of a firearm with gross negligence, cruelty to animals, illegal possession of an assault weapon, vandalism, criminal threats and felon in possession of a firearm. 

This is a developing story; more to follow…