Police in Philadelphia say an Eagles fan assaulted a police horse during Sunday’s NFC Championship game, the second such attack in as many weeks. Video…
Police in Philadelphia say an Eagles fan assaulted a police horse during Sunday’s NFC Championship game, the second such attack in as many weeks.
Video obtained by NJ.com shows a bloodied and shirtless Andrew Tornetta, 19, being taken into police custody hours before the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Minnesota Vikings 38-7 to earn a trip to take on the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII on Feb. 4.
Police told Philly.com that Tornetta, of Montgomery County, Pa., got verbally combative as a mounted Pennsylvania State Police corporal tried to disperse a large crowd of tailgaters outside Lincoln Financial Field prior to Sunday’s game. Tornetta then punched the state police horse twice in its right front shoulder after slipping out of his jacket, which the mounted officer had been holding. Tornetta also punched the corporal in the face, near his right eye, police officials said.
Tornetta was later charged with aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and related offenses, according to Philly.com, which noted a total of six arrests on Sunday, including two for disorderly conduct and three for counterfeit ticket sales.
The police horse, Samson, was not injured, according to a police report obtained by Metro Philadelphia .
Tornetta’s arrest follows that of Taylor Hendricks, 22, of Whitehall, Pa., who was taken into custody by police after showing up at the Eagles’ divisional playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons on Jan. 13 without a ticket and allegedly after punching a police horse and a cop. The officer and the horse were not injured, police said.
Hendricks was later charged with aggravated assault, taunting a police animal, simple assault and defiant trespass. He was released after posting bail and is due to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 30, Philly.com reports .
