Share and Follow
A Las Vegas tourist is facing serious charges after allegedly abusing flamingos in a shocking incident that left onlookers disturbed. The accused, Mitchell Fairbarn, was reportedly seen laughing and taking photos during the cruel act, as detailed in a police report.
Fairbarn, a 33-year-old from Ontario, Canada, was apprehended on March 3 and charged with four counts of willfully and maliciously torturing, maiming, or killing an animal. The distressing episode unfolded at The Flamingo Las Vegas hotel and casino, prominently located on the bustling Las Vegas Strip.
According to an arrest report obtained by Oxygen, Fairbarn illegally entered the hotel’s wildlife habitat, disregarding clear “No Trespassing” signs. His target was the Chilean flamingos residing there, whom he approached with malicious intent.
Surveillance footage, as referenced in the arrest report, shows Fairbarn emerging from behind bushes and forcibly pulling a flamingo to the ground. Despite the bird’s desperate attempts to escape, he repeatedly pinned it down, even taking a photograph of the distressed creature. The flamingo eventually managed to break free after being pinned against a small island.
The report further details Fairbarn’s relentless pursuit of other flamingos. He reportedly waded through a pool of water, capturing another bird by its neck, dragging it, and holding it down in a shocking display of cruelty.
Fairbarn was also recorded, per the arrest report, carrying a generally limp flamingo while taking the hotel elevator to his room on the 14th floor.
Police found a large bloody feather and smaller pink feathers in Fairbarn’s hotel room, according to the results of a search warrant cited in the arrest report. Meanwhile, footage from Fairbarn’s own cell phone, which was cited in that report, showed him choking a bird—who was screaming and crying—while laughing and saying, “I’m taking it home.”
One flamingo was recovered in deep water, appearing in “poor condition and non-viable” read the report, and was removed from the location. Meanwhile, a bird named Peachy had multiple injuries to his wings, one of which might require stitches.
Fairbarn told police in the arrest report that he was drunk and willingly bypassed warning signs to help a “distressed” flamingo. He said he popped its wing into place as a “good dead.”
While Fairbarn admitted to “repulsive” actions, according to the arrest, “he doesn’t remember chasing the other flamingos around, due to his level of intoxication.”
The flamingos cannot swim or fly, and they are more than 40 years old, per a police case report reviewed by Oxygen.com.
In a statement to the New York Post, a spokesperson from the organization said: “Our beloved birds, including Peachy, who was cruelly taken from the habitat, are currently in the care of dedicated veterinarians and our extraordinary Flamingo animal care team. We are hopeful they will make a full recovery.”
An attorney for Fairbarn did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Oxygen. Fairbarn’s next court date is May 6, according to a courtroom video published by News 3 Las Vegas. It is unclear whether Fairbarn has entered a plea. A spokesperson from Caesars Entertainment Corp. did not immediately return a request for comment from Oxygen.