The Southern Illinoisan reports that an arrest warrant was issued Tuesday for a 20-year-old Picknyville man after an incident back in the fall of 2018 in which he allegedly violently kicked a downed fawn on the side of a rural highway.
Jordan Anheuser has been charged with one count of animal torture, a class three felony, and cruel treatment of an animal, a class A misdemeanor. No arrest has been made as of Thursday morning.
The state’s attorney’s office was flooded with calls and emails with people asking the state to press charges.
A petition signed by nearly 1,5000 people stated, “Speak out now for a baby deer kicked while onlookers laugh.”
The petition also included a short video clip of a man kicking a downed young deer in the body and head while laughing.
In the background of the video a man can be heard saying, “Alright he’s dead, he’s dead, he’s dead.”
As the video is ending, the deer appears to be alive, though seriously injured.
The deer is believed to have been struck by a car before the incident took place.