Man Spotted Next to Zoo Enclosure Now Faces Multiple Counts of Animal Cruelty - Here's What Staff Found at the Exhibit
A 24-year-old man has been arrested in the case of the two monkeys taken from the Dallas Zoo after he was spotted near animal exhibits at an aquarium in the city, police said Friday.
Davion Irvin was arrested Thursday and was charged with six counts of animal cruelty, Dallas police said.
Jail records, which don’t list an attorney for him, indicate that he faces five charges of animal cruelty and that his bail was set at $25,000.
The reason for the discrepancy between the police and the jail in the number of charges was not immediately known.
The emperor tamarin monkeys went missing Monday, and a cut was found in their enclosure.
It was the latest in a string of unusual events at the zoo over the past few weeks. Others included enclosure fences that were cut, the escape of a small leopard and the suspicious death of an endangered vulture.
Police said their investigation is ongoing and that further charges are possible.
After getting a tip, police found the small monkeys — named Bella and Finn — the day after they were taken.
We are thrilled beyond belief to share that our two emperor tamarin monkeys have been found. DPD located the animals early this evening, and called our team to come secure and transport the tamarins back to the Zoo. They will be evaluated by our veterinarians this evening. pic.twitter.com/bDd49d3uDc
— Dallas Zoo (@DallasZoo) February 1, 2023
They were in the closet of a vacant home south of the zoo.
Earlier this week, Dallas police released a photo and a video taken from the zoo of a man they said they wanted to speak with about the missing monkeys.
Dallas Police are looking for the public’s help in identifying the pictured individual. Detectives are looking to speak with the man in regard to the two tamarin monkeys missing from the Dallas Zoo.
Anyone with information- call 214-671-4509. pic.twitter.com/VVvvHFAdgJ— Dallas Police Dept (@DallasPD) January 31, 2023
Police said Friday that Irvin was arrested after they got a tip that he’d been seen near the animal exhibits at the Dallas World Aquarium downtown.
Police said responding officers saw him getting onto the city’s light rail and then spotted him a few blocks away. He was then taken to police headquarters for questioning.
MUGSHOT— Davion Irvin is now facing six animal cruelty charges connected to the tamarin monkey case at The Dallas Zoo. pic.twitter.com/msyIUaDo9J
— Shannon Murray (@ShannonMFox4) February 3, 2023
The mysterious events at the zoo began on Jan. 13, when arriving workers found that a clouded leopard named Nova was missing from her cage, and police said that a cutting tool had been intentionally used to make an opening in her enclosure. The zoo closed as a search for her got underway, and she was found later that day near her habitat.
Zoo workers had also found a similar gash in an enclosure for langur monkeys, though none got out or appeared harmed, police said.
On Jan. 21, workers arriving at the zoo found an endangered lappet-faced vulture named Pin dead.
Gregg Hudson, the zoo’s president and CEO, called the death “very suspicious” and said the vulture had “a wound,” he but declined to give further details.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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