Police Horse Assaulted Twice In Same Night By Unrelated Perps

Eric Ryan Dudkiewicz, 23, of Norristown, Pa., and Demetrios Xanthos, 26, of North Arlington, N.J., are charged with interfering with a police animal in two unrelated incidents that occurred just over an hour apart.

Veteran equine member of the force, Benson, was the victim of both attacks and, per his training, did not return the blows. Both he and Mounted Officer Joseph Laughlin left the incident unscathed, police said.

With large crowds gathering in the midtown area during H2O International, a VW- and Audi-centric car show in the area last weekend, mounted officers and police on bikes and in patrol cars were outside the Princess Bayside on 48th Street to control crowds Saturday night.

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