The Worth Avenue Clock Tower is usually the backdrop for engagement photos and scenic sunsets. On Monday morning, however, it became the stage for a much grislier spectacle that resulted in a man’s arrest.
Palm Beach police took 27-year-old Jonathan Houston into custody after he allegedly filmed himself slicing open a dead hog and biting into it right on the sidewalk. Authorities charged Houston with misdemeanor criminal mischief following the incident near South Ocean Boulevard.
The scene initially sparked confusion and alarm. According to CBS News, a witness who called 911 around 9:45 a.m. told dispatchers she believed the man was cutting up a German Shepherd. Officers arriving at the scene later confirmed the carcass was actually a hog.
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Investigators tracked Houston down using the license plate number of his white Chevrolet van. During questioning, Houston reportedly offered an explanation for the public display: content creation. He told police he films videos for social media that feature him consuming raw meat.
Houston seemingly doubled down on the claim by emailing the video of the incident directly to the police department. A subsequent review of his Instagram account revealed a history of similar material, showing him dissecting dead animals and eating their organs raw.
Houston has entered a plea of not guilty.
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