A homeless Orlando man was arrested for punching a swan

A homeless Orlando man is facing charges after two off-duty police officers allegedly caught him punching a swan square in the face. 

According to an arrest affidavit, OPD officers Forrest Price and Corporal Shelby Riggshopkins were hanging out at Lake Eola last Sunday when they spotted Sor Velez, a homeless 59-year-old with a lengthy criminal history, getting a little too close to a swan and her cygnets.  

Apparently when Velez walked by the swan and her babies, the mother bird reached out in an aggressive manner, but didn’t make contact.

Velez then socked the swan with a left hook. 

Spike Hopkins, who is running for Orange County sheriff, posted on his Facebook page that he witnessed the whole thing. 

The off-duty officers then chased down Velez and arrested him for injuring wildlife on public property, which is a code violation with a maximum penalty of 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.

Velez is currently being held in the Orange County Jail on $250 bail.

According to Spike Hopkins, the swan was not injured. 

This article appears in Jun 22-28, 2016.