Teenager arrested after video shows him throwing kitten into street

A video showing a Southern California teenager throwing a kitten across the street set Twitter on fire with anger this weekend. And got the 16-year-old arrested.

The graphic video shows the kitten, named Spots, landing in the middle of a residential street, crying in pain after breaking its leg. Outraged Twitter users shared the video to try and find the person responsible. Police in Ontario, California were told about the incident Saturday.

The kitten’s owner told NBC4 that she was shocked at what happened to her cat. Spots is recovering at an emergency veterinary clinic, she said, suffering from a broken leg and internal injuries.

“I just want him to know he hurt a victim that can’t defend itself,” the owner told NBC4.

The story even made it on BuzzFeed News, where it continued to be shared. The campaign to find the alleged cat abuser worked.

Ontario police on Monday found and arrested the 16-year-old suspect. He was booked into San Bernardino County Juvenile Hall on a charge of felony animal abuse.

Police said in a press release that they spotted him in Upland at about 1:45 p.m.

“When the suspect saw the officers, he ran but was quickly tackled and taken into custody,” the statement said.

The police department’s tweet had more than 4,000 likes and nearly 3,000 retweets within an hour of being posted.

This story was originally published December 4, 2017 at 5:20 PM with the headline "Teenager arrested after video shows him throwing kitten into street."