A video posted on social media appears to be a 30-year-old Pahoa man who was arrested Thursday by police in an animal cruelty case.
The man was released from custody later that day, and immediately afterward appears to be gloating over being freed without charges.
“Mutts. All you mutts out there, I’m a free man, (expletive),” he says on the video as he shows the parking lot of the Hilo Police Station. The video was posted to the Facebook page Big Island Thieves.
The video then cuts to the face of a man who appears to be Bronson Valencia-Yasue, who was arrested by police Thursday on suspicion of second-degree animal cruelty, then released pending further investigation.
“So like four or five guys all come for scrap with me already,” the man said, then, after a few expletives added, “I’m about that life. Like I said, if you see me, cuz, bring that (expletive) heat, bitch.
“Right out of the jail, bro. No charges.”
Police say they were notified of another video circulating on social media in which a man complains about “dumb dogs,” then brutalizes a small white terrier dog with brown or grey markings, kicking it repeatedly with his heel.
The video, which was obtained from the Instagram account Hawaiinewsreports, appears to have been filmed by Valencia-Yasue and posted to his own Instagram story.
After kicking the dog, the man in the video walks away and says, “Cracks, cuz. Anybody get one problem with that, let me know. I’ll stomp your (expletive) head, too.”
Police said in a statement they initiated the animal cruelty investigation on Wednesday and identified Valencia-Yasue as the suspect. Officers weren’t able to locate Valencia-Yasue or the dog Wednesday. Valencia-Yasue turned himself in Thursday and was booked.
According to police, prosecutors were unable to file formal charges in court Thursday because of “certain information being unknown at this time,” which led to Valencia-Yasue’s release from custody.
Lauren Nickerson, CEO of the Hawaii Island Humane Society, said her agency is “aware of the horrific video and have been in communication with our colleagues at Hawaii County Animal Control and Protection Agency.”
Police said they were unaware of the dog’s location but that Animal Control had been notified.
Matthew Runnells, the county’s Animal Control administrator, said the county doesn’t have the dog and he doesn’t know where it is or what its fate was after the recorded abuse. He said that because it’s a criminal animal cruelty investigation, the investigation falls entirely to police.
Runnells noted the case is “extreme, to say the least.”
“We get reports like this on occasion, ” he said. “This particular individual, we have gotten calls about in the past. But with the problems he’s had with Animal Control in the past, he’s complied with our requests.
“This case, though, is a bit extreme and, unfortunately, it may not have ended well for the animal.”
This investigation remains still ongoing, and police ask that anyone with information to please contact Officer Boyd Bangloy of Puna Patrol at (808) 965-2716 or boyd.bangloy@hawaiicounty.gov.
According to police, the investigation will be forwarded to prosecutors upon completion for further review.
Second-degree animal cruelty is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.
Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
