Man, 36, allegedly stones beloved Southern California bird to death

A 36-year-old Los Angeles County man has been arrested after reportedly throwing a rock at a beloved Great Egret in San Bernardino, leaving the bird, which ultimately died, badly wounded.

The unsettling act of alleged animal cruelty unfolded on Oct. 23 at Lake Gregory in Crestline, according to witness Kaylyn Donica who captured the incident on cellphone video.

Donica told KTLA's Shelby Nelson that she and a friend were fishing when the spotted two men throwing rocks at ducks in the lake, prompting her to yell at them to stop. She said they initially stopped, but about 20 minutes later, the situation took a turn.

"The one guy stood up and says, 'Look, a crane,'" she explained. "I just got this gut feeling, like, I already yelled at these guys once. I'm not going to yell at them again."

That's when she said she pulled out her cellphone and began recording.

Footage of the incident shows the 36-year-old, now identified as Claremont resident Jeremy Jansen, throwing a rock at the Great Egret and missing. His second attempt, however, hit the bird, knocking it over into the water.

"It was just shock and anger, like, 'What the hell is wrong with you?'" Danica said of the moment.

She said that a third person who was with the other two men then scooped the bird out of the water.

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"He went walking up toward the grass with it and was looking at it under its wing," she said. "I guess he determined it was really hurt and put it out of misery.

A wildlife expert confirmed to KTLA that the beloved bird, dubbed Arthur by locals, was in fact a Great Egret that people who frequented the area were considered a majestic guest they were lucky to see every now and then.

Investigators with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, utilizing the video and witness statements, arrested the 36-year-old. He was booked into the West Valley Detention Center for animal cruelty and killing a nongame bird.

"Something needs to happen. He needs to have repercussions," Donica told KTLA. "You don't just go around and do whatever you want."