TikTok livestreamer Brandon Honea arrested for aggravated animal cruelty

TikTok livestreamer Brandon Honea has been charged with aggravated animal cruelty after a video circulating online appeared to show him repeatedly slamming an opossum against a porch.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office told TMZ that Honea was arrested on Wednesday, 11 November. The office said the incident was first reported on 9 November and that it received multiple calls about the alleged abuse.

The footage appears to show Honea grabbing the opossum by its tail and striking it against the porch while a woman can be heard pleading with him to stop. Honea is accused of ki!lling the animal.

Honea, who works as a taxidermist, reportedly claimed the opossum had been k!lling his chickens and said the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency had told him he had done nothing wrong.

Investigator Cheyenne Gonzalez told TMZ that the sheriff’s office could not confirm what the wildlife agency had told Honea. She said deputies conducted their own investigation and filed the charge independently of the agency.

Fayetteville Police Chief Bennie Jennings Jr. told TMZ that his department contacted the wildlife agency on Tuesday morning and was prepared to assist with its investigation.