19-year-old accused of blowing up cat

A 19-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of blowing up a cat with an explosive in south Sacramento, police said. David Hui-Baio Yang and a group of boys are accused of putting the cat under a traffic cone on Tuesday night along 63rd Street and blowing it up with a large firecracker, possibly an M-80.

The group was accused of wrapping the animal in duct tape before the explosion, a police report said. Once the cat was under the traffic cone, someone dropped the lit explosive through a hole at the top of the cone, according to the police report. The cat died from the blast.

Michael Nguyen said he witnessed the attack. "I ran to see - the cat was blown to pieces right here," he said. "And I get so angry, so focused on the cat, they ran and I called police."



Police found Yang on Wednesday evening in the 6200 block of Lemon Hill Drive after receiving a tip about his possible involvement, authorities said. Yang remained in jail on a charge of malicious maiming of an animal. Bail was set at $40,000. He is scheduled to appear in court later today.

Police said they haven't determined a motive for the crime.

Lesley Kirrene, with the Sacramento Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said violence toward animals can be a warning shot that people might also be in danger. "We worry once someone's committed a crime against an animal, it can escalate and lead to crimes against humans - violent crimes," Kirrene said.

With news video.