LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Court proceedings remain on hold for the teen accused of stabbing three horses with a knife at a Las Vegas barrel racing showcase earlier this year, as judges await the results of a psychological evaluation.
Defense attorney appeared on behalf of the suspect on Wednesday as proceedings remain on hold pending the completion and filing of a court-ordered psychological evaluation.
The charges stem from an incident during the 2026 National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) Professional’s Choice Vegas Super Show at the South Point Hotel & Casino.
According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, patrol officers and detectives with the Animal Cruelty Section responded around 2 a.m. on May 30 to reports of injured animals at the facility’s barn area.
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Investigators determined three horses had been intentionally attacked and maimed with a sharp object, inflicting injuries that prevented them from competing in the showcase.
Following an investigation, the teen, who had barn access during the competition, was arrested and booked into the Clark County Juvenile Hall. The teen faces 12 counts of willful or malicious torture, maiming, or killing of an animal, alongside three felony counts of malicious destruction of private property exceeding $5,000.
A status check hearing has been scheduled for September 30.
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