State police have arrested a Woodstock Academy student after finding parts of a dead cow left throughout the campus on Wednesday morning.
School officials said someone found a severed calf's head in the student parking lot at the academy.
School security staff called state police just after 11 a.m. and police began investigating.
State police arrested Avery Blair Rollins, 18, of Brooklyn, and said he had a knife on school grounds.
"Woodstock Academy has been working closely with the State Police to conduct a comprehensive investigation to identify any and all suspects involved in the incident," Woodstock Academy officials said in a written statement. "During the State Police investigation, it has been confirmed that the cow was already deceased as a result of a traffic accident approximately two days ago."
Woodstock Academy is an independent secondary school with a student body that includes tuition-paying students, but also students from nearby towns through contracts with the towns.
Rollins was charged with breach of peace and was released on a $1,000 non-surety bond.
U.S. & World
State police also made an unrelated arrest after finding a machete in another Woodstock Academy student's car while investigating the dead cow incident. Student Evert McKee, 18, faces charges of having a weapon in a motor vehicle and breach of peace, but state police said he was not involved in scattering the cow parts across campus.
"This weapon is unrelated to today’s incident; it was left in the vehicle from a recent camping trip," Woodstock Academy officials said.
The academy "has a zero tolerance policy for animal cruelty and weapons, and both
incidences have been handled in accordance with said policies."
In addition, two students have been taken into custody by the State Police," Woodstock Acaemy officials said. "No students were in danger during today’s events."
