man abusing squirrel

Three minors found themselves in a squirrelly situation Monday when Ball State University police caught them abusing a dead animal.

Muncie resident Robert Dennis, 18, was released from Delaware County jail early Tuesday on $2,000 bond after he was arrested after police say he abused a dead squirrel and filmed it with a cell phone, according to jail and police reports.

Dennis was arrested Monday on charges of criminal mischief, criminal recklessness and illegal possession of a fox squirrel out of season, according to police reports.

When police officers arrived, Dennis was kicking a dead squirrel near the McKinley Avenue parking garage, and two minors were beside him laughing, according to reports.

Officers found the three suspects abusing the squirrel and placed handcuffs on them, according to reports.

Police approached Ball State student Nathan Gropp, who had witnessed the incident. Gropp told police he saw the three throw the squirrel off the top level of the garage as a vehicle was pulling out underneath them, according to reports.

Gropp also reported the suspects threw the squirrel against the garage's walls and windows and kicked it several times.

Gropp told police he saw one of the suspects filming everything with a cell phone. Police found the phone, which had five videos showing the suspects doing everything Gropp reported and laughing in the background, according to reports.

Dennis was then taken to Delaware County Jail, and the two juveniles were taken to the Ball State Police Department.

According to the Indiana Code, if Dennis is convicted of his Class C misdemeanor, he could receive up to 60 days in prison and a maximum fine of $500.

This was the second incident Monday evening in which police caught people throwing objects off the top of the McKinley Avenue parking garage.

Earlier that evening, police found three middle-school-aged children dropping a large rock or cinder block off the top level of the structure, according to police reports.

Bob Fey, associate director of public safety, said the two incidents were unrelated.

"The incidents were coincidental," he said. "We haven't seen anything like this for quite a while. It looks like they were all juveniles involved."