POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — A Pompano Beach man is facing animal cruelty and burglary charges after brutally killing four baby chickens during a home break-in in the city, according to court documents obtained by Local 10 News on Tuesday.

A Broward Sheriff’s Office arrest report states that Hector Eduardo Hernandez, 37, went to a woman’s home in the 400 block of Northwest 19th Court at around 1:45 p.m. Friday and began knocking on her door.

Authorities said when he couldn’t get in, he began pulling on the door and eventually entered a closed backyard gate, where he grabbed four baby chickens ― two in each hand ― took them in front of the home in view of a security camera, and “slamm(ed) each chicken on the concrete, killing the animals instantly.”

Hernandez’s “actions against the defenseless animals were cruel and inhumane,” BSO Deputy Luis Wick wrote in the report.

After killing the birds, deputies said Hernandez again tried to get into the home by “smashing the rear slider with large rocks.”

Investigators said he fled and deputies later located him at his home in the 2000 block of Northeast First Avenue, taking him into custody on four counts of animal cruelty and one count of burglary causing damages over $1,000.

The report doesn’t indicate whether Hernandez and the victim knew each other.

Records show he remained in the BSO Main Jail as of Tuesday afternoon. He was being held without bond.

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