MANHEIM, Pa. — Police in Pennsylvania arrested two adults and a 17-year-old on Wednesday after they allegedly used a pair of firecrackers to blow up a large turtle earlier this month.
The Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department identified the suspects as a 17-year-old young man, who was not identified because he is a juvenile, and 21-year-old Manheim residents Taylor James Geib and Austin Mathew Garner.
The trio is accused of killing a turtle on Aug. 3 by blowing it up with two M-80 firecrackers.
Police found bone fragments, what appeared to be “biological membrane” and the remains of a large turtle in a small crater in Manheim after they were called to investigate a reported explosion.
Authorities determined three people put a pair of firecrackers on the turtle's shell before lighting them and ultimately killing the turtle.
Witnesses gave police a description of the suspects and the truck they were in at the time of the explosion, which led investigators to the three young suspects.
They were charged with criminal conspiracy and prohibited offensive weapons.
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