Miami Beach Police have arrested a 36-year-old man they say shot two arrows into a stray cat outside a popular hotel. The cat, named Strushie, was later euthanized due to the severity of its injuries. The feline's brutal death sparked outrage in the animal rights community.
Georgios Lollias was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with two counts, including animal cruelty and tampering with evidence. An immigration hold was ordered on Lollias.
Police say that Lollias used a crossbow to shot at Strushie, which was a popular cat that roamed the area outside The Franklin Hotel, located at 860 Collins Avenue, in the morning hours of April 26th. A local woman who fed the cat on a daily basis found Strushie with an arrow in its head and neck.
Strushie was taken to a local vet, where he was euthanized.
Officials obtained surveillance video from outside the hotel, which they say was deleted from the time of the alleged incident. Miami Beach Police received assistance from a U.S. Secret Service task force to retrieve the deleted footage and identify Lollias.
Lollias later admitted to police that he did shoot the cat, police said. He is expected in court Wednesday afternoon.
Local
Animal activist Stephen Fox protested with others after the cat's death. He was happy about the arrest.
"Combination of relief and vindication; our group really had strong feelings either the hotel owner or one of his employees were directly involved," Fox said.
"It is a great relief that we have found some level of justice for Strushie," Miami Beach Police Chief Daniel Oates said in a statement. "This was a horrific act of animal cruelty. I congratulate our detectives on this arrest and the U.S. Secret Service for the critical assistance they provided to us."
