A second man has been charged for the killing of a raccoon in Coconut Creek after video of the incident circulated on Facebook, officials said.
Vincenzo Carlisi, 26, was charged with causing cruel death with pain and suffering to an animal after he allegedly encouraged his co-worker to smash the animal's skull, according to Coconut Creek Police.
Officials say Carlisi recorded a cellphone video of 26-year-old Joseph Amico swinging at a raccoon's skull with a 2x4 piece of wood outside the Carl's Furniture where they both worked. Carlisi encouraged Amico to hit the animal and is heard in the video saying, "Blast him, blast him," according to a Coconut Creek arrest report.
The report said the raccoon came out of a trash pile in the bottom of a ten-foot dumpster in a "non-aggressive manner" and had no means of escape. The animal was demonstrating friendly movements and appeared to be reaching up towards the humans before Amico struck it on the head, the report said.
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The raccoon then ran back into the dumpster and did not immediately die, suffering a painful death, officials said.
On the video, Carlisi can be heard saying, "You catch him, I'll cook him," the report said. He posted the video on his Facebook page and made it public, according to the report.
Amico had told police he struck the raccoon because it looked helpless. Jail records show Amico, who was being held on $25,000 bond on animal cruelty charges, has since been released.
Carlisi was released on $2,500 bond, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office.
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Photo Credit: Broward Sheriff's Office