A teenage girl was arrested after allegedly stabbing three horses at a barrel racing even in Nevada.

On Saturday, May 30, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) responded to a report that a horse had been injured at a barn in the 9700 block of South Las Vegas Boulevard just after 2 a.m., after which they arrived to find that “three horses had been intentionally injured with a sharp object,” according to a press release.

The LVMPD Animal Cruelty Section investigated the 𝓪𝓫𝓾𝓼𝓮, and detectives identified a teenage girl as a possible suspect.

Investigators believe she may have used a knife to inflict injuries to the horses, as she had access to the barn they were kept in, police said.

Although the injuries to the horses are not considered life-𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔, the horses will be unable to compete in the 2026 NBHA Professional’s Choice Las Vegas Super Show at the South Point Arena & Equestrian Center.

The South Point Hotel Casino & Spa in Las Vegas.

Ethan Miller/Getty

Detectives located the girl at a nearby hotel and took her into custody.

Then, she was transported to Clark County Juvenile Hall and booked for 12 counts of willful or malicious killing, maiming or torturing an animal and three counts of felony malicious destruction of private property valued at more than $5,000.

In a news release shared on social media, the National Barrel Horse Association said that the “isolated incident was addressed immediately” at the barrel racing competition.

“This situation was addressed immediately in coordination with the National Barrel Horse Association, the South Point Hotel & Security, Metro Police, and all appropriate parties,” they wrote. “The individual involved has been removed and placed in the care of authorities, and there is no ongoing threat of any kind.”

Barrel racing (stock image).

Getty

Cali Raymer, a 17-year-old competitor in the competition, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that she had talked to the suspect “a few times” before the incident occurred.

“It’s kind of scary that something like that would happen here,” she said.

The South Point Hotel Casino & Spa emphasized in a statement to PEOPLE that the “safety and well-being of all guests, participants, and equine athletes on property is our highest priority.”

“We are thankful to report all of the horses involved are safe,” the statement continued. “We want to thank the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the NBHA for their immediate response to this incident, and the South Point is fully cooperating with the LVMPD as it conducts its investigation.”