East El Paso man jailed for allegedly shooting cats with air rifle

EL PASO, Texas -- An east El Paso man was jailed on animal cruelty charges after he allegedly shot two cats with an air rifle, police said Tuesday.

Robert Lee Ramirez, 68, was being held on $4,000 bond in the El Paso County Detention Facility, following his arrest a week ago.

Investigators said a warrant for his arrest was issued after they obtained surveillance video of the cats being shot last month in the 11300 block of Lake Erie Drive.

"Wow, that's terrible, that's really bad," reacted Ruben Silva after finding out of one of his Lake Erie Drive neighbors was arrested for animal cruelty.

But Ernesto Hernandez and other residents also acknowledge that their neighborhood is plagued with a cat population explosion.

"The cat problem is bad here. Everywhere you go, everywhere you sit or try, there's always cats. Cats just overwhelmed this neighborhood," said Hernandez.

Hernandez indicated the cat problem in the neighborhood is so bad, that he lays out kitty litter so he can pick up everything those cats leave behind.

"I called the city and they told me they were out of cages, to go to Walmart and buy one," added Hernandez.

"Yes, we have heard that this particular man is angry, because we do have a problem with cats, but that's not the way to take care of the problem. Under no circumstances," said Lupita, another neighborhood homeowner who did not want to give her full name.