Alleged bird beater had wild weekend Monday, July 02, 2007By JOHN ANNESE STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police say they've collared the man they believe administered a fatal beating to a peacock because he thought it was a vampire. Police sources told the Advance last night that cops arrested John N. Potts, 32 -- who lists his stepfather's house on Surfside Plaza in Tottenville as his address but may, in fact, be homeless -- in connection with Thursday's avian assault. Potts was picked up just before 7 p.m. yesterday, after he sparked a domestic disturbance at the stepfather's house, capping a wild weekend for a man described by one source as emotionally disturbed. Sources said he quarreled with his stepfather, menaced him with a shovel, and said, "I'll smash your face." He then jumped into the waters of the Raritan Bay off Sprague Avenue, the shovel still in his hands, a police source said. Arriving cops coaxed Potts out of the water, the source said, and as they investigated, determined that Potts was involved in the attack on the peacock. They also produced a witness to the assault, who identified Potts, the source said. The peacock had wandered into the parking lot of the Burger King at Page Avenue and Amboy Road in Tottenville Thursday morning, and jumped onto the hood of a car. That's when the 5-foot-6-inch, 135-pound Potts showed up, cops say. According to witnesses, he grabbed the helpless bird by its neck, threw it to the ground, and stomped and kicked it repeatedly. He yelled, "I'm killing a vampire!" and ripped off his shirt during the attack, witnesses said. The mortally injured peacock had to be put down. The next day, police arrested Potts for trespassing, after he entered the property of a Surfside Plaza resident, the source said. He spent the night in jail and was released after a court appearance Saturday, the source said.
Dear God....so peacocks are vampires now? Well F**K ME.
