May 31, 2018
Source/Philadelphia Police Department
Andrew Tornetta, 19, of Montgomery County, is accused of assaulting a police horse and the officer riding it.
Andrew Tornetta, the 19-year-old Montgomery County resident who was arrested and formerly charged with allegedly punching a police horse and a Pennsylvania State trooper outside Lincoln Financial Field in January, is now suing the Philadelphia Eagles and the two officers involved in the incident.
The incident occurred while tailgating before the Eagles NFC Championship game against the Minnesota Vikings, and Tornetta was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, and related off following the incident. Since then, Tornetta has completed 12 hours of community service and the charges have been dropped.
According to TMZ, Tornetta now claims he had been minding his own business when the mounted officers grabbed and started dragging him. Tornetta's lawsuit also alleges at least two officers unsheathed their batons to strike him multiple times, leading to serious back, skull, and face injuries. The lawsuit states Tornetta never intentionally struck the horse or officer.
In the lawsuit, TMZ reports, Tornetta puts blame on police for providing a “misleading” statement that contributed to Tornetta being “demonized on social media and internet sites reporting upon his assault on police and his cruelty towards an animal.”
Police previously reported that the incident began when officers attempted to dismiss a large crowd of tailgaters gathered in lot M5 at the Linc. Police said Tornetta refused to leave as the mounted corporal tried to escort him away and became “verbally combative.”
Tornetta reportedly tried to pry himself loose by removing his jacket, after which the corporal grabbed Tornetta by his sweatshirt. The 19-year-old allegedly then punched the horse twice on its right shoulder, according to police, and allegedly hit the state trooper in the face.
Tornetta is suing the two officers involved, which includes a state trooper and a Philadelphia Police Department officer, as well as the Philadelphia Eagles, claiming security wasn’t properly trained.
