Three Clarkson students are accused in theft, death of bird

POTSDAM — Three Clarkson University students were accused of stealing a zebra finch and torturing it with loud music and electric shocks before killing the bird with several shots from a blow gun.

John E. Breckels III, Red Hook, Matthew O. Lyndaker, Copenhagen, and Alan D. Grove, Bothell, Wash., all 21 and juniors at Clarkson, were each charged Monday with petit larceny, village police said.

"It's very discouraging to see students with the opportunity they have been afforded to behave in such a reprehensible manner," Police Chief John A. Kaplan said.

The zebra finch was bought as an April Fools Day joke on a hallmate in Ormsby House on the Clarkson campus. The student got tired of having the bird in his room because it woke him up early, court documents show. The bird was then placed in a common area of the dormitory.

The trio, along with a fourth student expected to be charged, thought it would be comical one night to scream at the bird.

"It came up in conversation that we couldn't hold the bird because it may have a heart attack," Mr. Lyndaker said in a police statement. "(We) thought it would be funny to start yelling at the bird to see if it was true."

The students then decided to go outside and put the bird in the trunk of a car, seeing whether a loud stereo would kill it. The finch remained alive. Mr. Grove later told a hallmate about what they did to the finch.

"Alan then said he took his blow gun and shot a dart into the finch while it was still in its cage," said Clarkson student Juan A. Barbosa, who won't be charged, in a police statement. "He then said the finch looked as if it was still moving so they used a homemade stun glove to try and shock the finch to death. Alan said they were not sure if the finch was still alive or not at that point so he shot it again with the blow gun to make sure it was dead."

Mr. Lyndaker told police they didn't kill the zebra finch, stating that they "walked out of dorm and let it go near the rock wall by the Dumpsters. After that we threw the cage in the Dumpster and went back inside."

Chuck's Pet Store on Main Street in the village of Canton sells the finches for $19.99. Sales associate Sharon M. Love couldn't believe the news when she heard it.

"I cried because I'm the one that sold it," Ms. Love said. "I'm very disheartened about it."

All three were issued appearance tickets for Village Court. The investigation is continuing and more arrests and charges, such as animal cruelty, are pending.

Clarkson also is investigating the allegations and could discipline the students involved. The university rules also prohibit animals from staying in dormitories.

"We're dealing with the allegations and will let the justice process proceed," Clarkson spokesman Michael Griffin said. "We take this very seriously and the dean of students will be looking into the matter."