CANYON, TX —** A West Texas A&M University student has been arrested after allegedly shooting three cats with a blow dart in a shocking act of animal cruelty that left one cat dead. **Landon Hasenkamp**, 19, was taken into custody and charged with **animal cruelty involving the killing or serious injury of a non-livestock animal**, a state jail felony under Texas law.
According to the **Canyon Police Department**, officers began investigating after receiving multiple reports of injured cats in a neighborhood near the WT campus. Upon arrival, they discovered three cats had been struck with blow darts. One of the animals had a dart embedded several inches into its skull and later died from its injuries. The other two cats survived but sustained serious wounds and required veterinary treatment.
Police identified Hasenkamp as a suspect after gathering witness statements and reviewing physical evidence from the scene. He was subsequently arrested without incident. Investigators have not yet released details about Hasenkamp’s motive, but officials described the incident as a deliberate and cruel act.
In a statement, **West Texas A&M University** confirmed Hasenkamp is a student and said the university is cooperating fully with law enforcement. “We are aware of the arrest and take allegations of this nature extremely seriously,” the statement read. “Cruelty toward animals is contrary to the values of our institution.”
Under Texas law, animal cruelty involving serious injury or death is punishable by up to two years in a state jail and fines of up to $10,000.Local animal welfare groups have condemned the attack and called for justice for the injured and deceased cats. The Canyon Police Department urged residents to remain vigilant and to report any further incidents of suspected animal cruelty.
