Fourth teenager arrested for killing Salem family’s cat

SALEM, Oregon — Salem police have arrested a fourth teenager in connection with the shooting death of a family’s cat in Salem last month. The boy is believed to be the one who actually shot the cat, according to a Salem police news release.

Security cameras at the family’s home captured footage of a group of young people shooting and killing Vortex the cat on the sidewalk outside the family’s home in the early hours of May 10. The footage shows a group of four people noticing the cat, and a short time later a fifth person joined the group, pulled out what appeared to be a gun, and shot the cat.

The suspects appeared to be taking video of the injured cat with their cell phones. About a minute later, the footage showed the same person shooting the cat a second time at point blank range. The group ran away, but returned shortly afterward and dumped the cat’s body in a neighbor’s yard.

In early June, two 17-year-old boys were arrested and charged with first-degree aggravated cruelty to animals. One of them was also charged with tampering with evidence. A third teenager was arrested the following week. The 15-year-old boy was also charged with first-degree aggravated cruelty to animals and tampering with evidence and obstructing a peace officer.

The fourth youth, a 16-year-old, was arrested at his home Saturday afternoon and also charged with first-degree aggravated cruelty to animals. Like the other three youths, he was booked into the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center.