Disturbing social media content has sparked a police investigation into reports of animal cruelty in Pittsburgh’s Northview Heights neighborhood. According to WPXI, posts showing individuals taping mice to fireworks and igniting them have surfaced, leading to the death of the animals. These mice were reportedly bought from a local pet store.
Last Wednesday, detectives from the Violence Prevention Unit were alerted at around 5 p.m. to the aforementioned video. They subsequently headed to the 410 block of Mt. Pleasant Road, the suspected area of occurrence. There, a plastic bin, firework remnants, and a roll of tape were discovered, detailed by WTAE. The scene was further examined by the Mobile Crime Unit, which processed the evidence found.
During the investigation, detectives reviewed CCTV footage from the area and spoke with several witnesses. A search warrant was executed the day following the discovery in the 410 block of Mt. Pleasant Road, as a continuance of the investigation into these acts of cruelty against animals.
A man was taken into custody on unrelated charges during the investigation. He is considered a person of interest, with additional charges expected to be laid out soon.
