Dozens of police officers responded to a large disturbance that broke out as the bars were closing in downtown Santa Ana early Sunday morning and more than 200 people poured into the streets.
Six people were arrested, one of them after striking a police horse, said Cmdr. Chuck Elms.
The horse, named Chex, was punched or slapped, Elms said, but was unfazed and continued to do the job. In training, he said, “They get acclimated to all sorts of environments.”
A large disturbance broke out as the bars were closing in downtown Santa Ana early Sunday. One person was accused of attacking a horse, and six people were arrested on various grounds. (Photo by Southern Counties News)
A large disturbance broke out as the bars were closing in downtown Santa Ana early Sunday. One person was accused of attacking a horse, and six people were arrested on various grounds. (Photo by Southern Counties News)
A large disturbance broke out as the bars were closing in downtown Santa Ana early Sunday. One person was accused of attacking a horse, and six people were arrested on various grounds. (Photo by Southern Counties New
The incident began around 2 a.m. when a large fight erupted and escalated. The mounted police unit, which routinely patrols downtown, noticed the fracas and called for help. Police spilled into the area around 3rd Street and Broadway, but the crowd did not initially disperse, Elms said.
He said he didn’t know what prompted the fight. Overall, no injuries were reported, he said.
Elms called the disturbance a “fluke” for downtown Santa Ana, saying it’s uncommon for such a large fight to break out among the crowds as the bars close.
The arrests included grounds of public drunkenness, resisting arrest, and in the case of the person accused of striking the horse, committing an unlawful act against a police animal.
Elms said he did not have suspects’ names.
Source: Orange County Register
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