William Ohlson, 33, was arrested in Reno after fleeing California following accusations he tortured a kitten to death in a Market Street ATM vestibule on July 1. He missed a scheduled arraignment and was apprehended at a downtown Reno residence after police received a tip. Ohlson had been released previously due to a California Supreme Court ruling limiting pretrial detention for non-violent cases against people. Rescue groups say he had recently adopted two kittens; one named Haven was later found abandoned and placed in protective custody.
Serial Kitten-Torture Suspect Arrested in Reno After Interstate Manhunt — Locals Cheer
A man accused of torturing a kitten to death in an ATM vestibule in San Francisco was arrested Thursday night in his native Nevada after fleeing California, authorities said.
Arrest in Reno
Police identified the suspect as 33-year-old William Ohlson of Reno. He failed to appear for a scheduled arraignment in California and was taken into custody at gunpoint at a downtown Reno residence. Washoe County booking records show he was lodged at the Washoe County Detention Center on four counts related to resisting an officer and failing to obey a court order.
William Ohlson Arrests Org
How Authorities Located Him
Reno police previously checked the home on July 17 but did not find Ohlson, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported. Investigators received a tip Thursday that he had returned, and witnesses reported seeing him enter the residence. Officers set up a perimeter, attempted to communicate with anyone inside using a loudspeaker, and deployed a K-9 unit.
Body-worn camera footage from an earlier visit shows officers using a battering ram to force open the front door while moving in with weapons drawn and issuing commands. Footage from the later operation shows the suspect surrendering, being handcuffed, and placed into a patrol vehicle. Onlookers at the scene shouted, "We love you. Thank you!" after learning he had been captured.
Ohlson surrendering himself to Reno police. Facebook/Reno Police Department
Allegations in San Francisco
Ohlson faces animal cruelty charges in San Francisco after investigators say he carried a small kitten into an ATM vestibule in the 1800 block of Market Street at about 2 a.m. on July 1 and "violently tortured" the animal to death before leaving with its body. He was initially arrested in connection with that case but released due to a recent California Supreme Court ruling that sharply limits pretrial detention to cases involving violence against people.
Prior Incidents And Rescue Group Response
The San Francisco case was not the only reported incident linked to Ohlson. In 2020, he pleaded guilty to attempting to kill or torture a white kitten at a Reno Walmart; his sentence was suspended in exchange for participation in adult drug court.
The home Ohlson was arrested at. Facebook/Reno Police Department
"Within days of their adoption, Haven was found abandoned inside his carrier in a dumpster near William Ohlson's residence in Reno, Nevada," Biggest Little Cat Rescue wrote on social media. "Washoe County Regional Animal Services responded and took Haven into protective custody while conducting its investigation."
The rescue group said Ohlson had adopted two kittens from them earlier this month. One kitten, named Haven, was later found abandoned in a dumpster near Ohlson's home and placed into protective custody; the other kitten has not been located.
Next Steps
Authorities in San Francisco and Reno are coordinating on charges and any potential interstate warrants. The investigation by animal control and local law enforcement remains active.
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