The owners of the animals have chosen to remain anonymous and have declined to speak with the media, according to Monterey County Sheriff Commander Andres Rosas. "I went out there, and it was a pretty traumatic scene. These were people's pets," he said.
One of the miniature horses belonged to the owner of the lot where the animals were kept, while the remaining 80 were owned by someone who rented the land for their pets, Rosas explained.
Court records reveal that Arroyo has been charged with killing 14 goats, nine chickens, seven ducks, five rabbits, a guinea pig and 33 parakeets and cockatiels. He is also accused of killing a pony named Lucky and two miniature horses named Estrella and Princessa, as reported by KSBW-TV.
Some animals survived the hours-long shooting but had to be euthanized due to the severity of their injuries, Rosas added. He also mentioned that Arroyo lived in a camper in a vineyard adjacent to the lot where the animals were housed, and the motive behind the incident remains unknown.
William Pernik, the attorney for Arroyo, raised concerns about his client's mental fitness after speaking with him and his family, prompting a request to the judge for a mental health assessment.
"We're dealing with an individual who has very serious charges and who does not appear to be in the right state of mind to understand the proceedings against him," Pernik remarked.
Pernik explained that although Arroyo's relatives sought assistance from different country agencies, "unfortunately, he did not receive that mental health help in time before this tragic incident."
Following the lawyer's request, the judge mandated a mental evaluation for Arroyo, currently held on a $1 million bail.
The court will be briefed on Arroyo's mental condition in a fortnight, as noted by Pernik.
Early Tuesday morning at around 3.25am, authorities were flooded with 911 calls reporting gunfire in Prunedale, a location roughly 8 miles (13 kilometers) away from Salinas city, recounted Rosas.
Responding deputies could still hear shots as they reached the area, leading to a shelter-in-place directive for residents within a five-mile radius.
To address the chaotic scene, Monterey County SWAT teams were deployed, and overhead support was solicited from Seaside Fire Department and Gonzales Police Department via drones, informed Rosas.
Ultimately, officers secured Arroyo's arrest without any challenges using an armored vehicle, Rosas confirmed.
Deputies discovered a wrecked pickup truck and seized eight firearms, including long rifles, shotguns and handguns, at the scene. After executing a search warrant on Arroyo's camper, they found another seven firearms, including an illegal AK-47 assault rifle, two ghost guns, and about 2,000 rounds of various calibers of ammunition, Rosas said.
Arroyo has been hit with a slew of charges including animal cruelty, willful discharge of a firearm with gross negligence, illegal possession of an assault weapon, vandalism, drug possession and making criminal threats and terrorizing while being in possession of a firearm as a felon.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Berkley Brannon told KSBW-TV after the Thursday hearing: "This is obviously the most horrific animal cruelty case we've ever seen in this county, I'm sure."
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