Law enforcement was inundated with tips from the community after a social media video, potentially originating from Charlotte, showed a possum being burned alive.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission says it has identified multiple persons of interest in connection with a viral video of an opossum that was burned alive in an apparent case of animal cruelty.
Wildlife officials confirmed Friday that a second video was posted, but it’s unclear if it was related to the first video that sparked outrage on social media. The first video, which started circulating online last week, showed someone pouring a flammable liquid on an opossum before setting it on fire. The incident generated significant public outrage, with WCNC Charlotte receiving numerous calls and emails from concerned citizens.
“We’re still looking at all possible avenues in the case,” Officer Kristofer Blankenship said. “There are multiple persons of interest in the case and we’re looking for new leads.”
Lt. Forrest Orr with NCWRC said the agency has investigated similar incidents in the past, but it isn’t something they encounter often. Investigators are now working to determine when and where both videos were taken.
“Everybody has their motives to why they do this and it’s hard to get in somebody’s mind and what they’re thinking when they do something like this,” Orr said.
Anyone with information about this case or any other instance of the mistreatment of wildlife is encouraged to all the NC WILDTIP hotline at 1-855-WILDTIP. Information can also be texted in by using the keyword WILDTIP to 847411.
Multiple law enforcement agencies were also inundated with tips about the video, to the point that Charlotte Crime Stoppers posted about the situation over the weekend, noting the wealth of information it had received on the case, enough to move forward.
Animal rights advocates Animal Wellness Action and Center for a Humane Economy weighed in on the case this week, offering up a $5,000 reward for whoever turns in the person or people responsible for the torture.
WCNC Charlotte has chosen not to show the video due to its graphic nature.
“It was one of the most heinous cases we’ve heard of recently,” said Kevin Chambers with Animal Wellness Action.
“It can create modeling behavior where people adopt the violent behavior, if they see it happening and think it is condoned,” Chambers continued. “That is not the behavior we want to model because it desensitizes people, especially young people, and it leads to dangerous social behavior.”
Animal Wellness Action said this is one of many cruelty cases it is willing to provide rewards for information regarding, including for dogfighting and cockfighting. Anyone with information on potential animal-related crimes can email the group.
“Study after study has shown that cruelty toward animals is associated with cruelty to humans and violence against humans,” Chambers said.
The group said this case is an example of why it is pushing for the passage of the Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act. The bipartisan bill was introduced in February and was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. The legislation would create an Animal Cruelty Crimes section within the Department of Justice, in order to better enforce animal cruelty laws.
Contact Vanessa Ruffes at [email protected] and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Download WCNC+ on your on Roku, Amazon Fire TV or Apple TV, and stream the news that impacts you for free.
