A 59-year-old man was arrested Sunday night after police say he punched a Lake Eola swan in front of two police officers.

  • Sor Angel Velez punched swan at Lake Eola, police say
  • 2 off-duty officers witnessed swan get punched, affidavit says

Sor Angel Velez, a transient, is charged with injuring with wildlife on public property.

Orlando Police say two off-duty officers were strolling at Lake Eola at about 6:40 p.m. and stopped to look at a swan and some cygnets near the bathrooms on the northeast side of the park.

A man wearing a tan Hawaiian button-up shirt and dark pants, later identified as Velez, walked between them and the swan. The swan reached out toward Velez as thought it were defending cygnets, an arrest affidavit said. Velez walked about 10 feet farther, but then turned around, walked back toward the swan and punched it with his left hand, according to police.

Velez ran off but was caught by the two off-duty officers at Washington Street and Rosalind Avenue without incident, police said.