Teens face felony charges in shooting of Chester County horse

Three teens in custody in connection with the Saturday shooting of a horse outside a Chester home are being charged as juveniles, but each faces a felony count, a spokesman for the Chester County Sheriff’s Office said Friday.

The three male suspects, all 16, are in the custody of the state Department of Juvenile Justice in Columbia, Chief Deputy Robert Sprouse said. They will be charged with malicious injury to property.

Under state law, the charge can be levied as a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the value of the property lost. The horse was valued at more than $2,000, Sprouse said, meaning the teens will each face a felony count of the charge.

The punishment for a felony conviction depends on the value of the animal or property lost. If it is worth more than $2,000 but less than $10,000, the maximum is five years. If the value is more than $10,000, the defendant faces up to 10 years in prison. All convictions carry a possible fine.

Sprouse said the malicious injury charge is more serious than ill treatment of animals, which could also be a misdemeanor or a felony. A felony conviction for that carries a maximum of five years in prison, a fine or both.

The 13-year-old mare named Grey was shot Saturday outside a home on Pressley Road, authorities have said. The horse’s owner went outside after hearing a loud bang and saw Grey lying on her side, a bullet wound in her left shoulder.

The teens used a rifle to shoot the horse before driving away, Sprouse said. He could not comment on the motive or how the teens obtained the gun.

The bullet shattered the horse’s shoulder and struck her spine, family members have said. A veterinarian came to treat Grey, but the horse had to be euthanized.

Sprouse said investigators do not anticipate additional arrests.

Check back later for more details.

This story was originally published July 24, 2015 at 1:17 PM with the headline "Teens face felony charges in shooting of Chester County horse."