(KTNV) — We are learning more details surrounding the case of a local veterinarian who went missing after a disturbing video surfaced on social media.
Shawn Frehner is the veterinarian at the center of a social media firestorm after a controversial video surfaced that appears to show Frehner kicking a horse in the face while trying to anesthetize it for a medical procedure.
Search crews have spent days at Lake Mead looking for Frehner in the area near Hemenway Harbor.
On Wednesday morning, the National Park Service shared an update with Channel 13, writing that the multi-agency search at Lake Mead "remains ongoing."
The agency noted investigators "appreciate the public's support and the information received so far, which has aided our efforts."
Channel 13 has obtained the missing persons report for Frehner, filed by his father Rex.
Rex said he last spoke to his son Sunday between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. Shawn told his dad he was working early with one of the horses and having a hard time with it, and Rex offered to help. Shawn declined the help, and Rex said that was the last time he heard from his son.
Shawn's wallet, keys, and cell phone were found in his unoccupied truck left near Lake Mead. Rex said he doesn't know why his son would have gone there since he doesn't have a boat.
Rex said he is concerned about Shawn's safety due to the viral video circulating. Rex said Shawn does have a gun but doesn't know if he would have taken it with him.
NPS urged anyone who was in the Hemenway Harbor Launch Ramp Area on Sunday, April 6 to contact investigations at 888-653-0009.
Threats and allegations
Channel 13 anchor Abel Garcia talked to the horse's owner on Tuesday to learn more about what happened.
Hear from horse owner Shawna Gonzalez:
"My horse was just laying down to be sedated, and I saw my horse being kicked," Shawna Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez tells us the horse, Big Red, is now being treated by another veterinarian.
The incident on April 3 prompted Gonzalez to contact the Nye County Sheriff's Office and report Frehner. The sheriff's office confirmed its deputies took a report for animal abuse with Frehner as the suspect but said no further details could be released because the investigation is ongoing.
This video shows the incident that prompted the investigation. Please be warned, it may be disturbing to some viewers.
In a lengthy statement that has since been deleted from his Facebook page, Frehner described Big Red as "dangerous" and "psychotic." He said he was trying to anesthetize the horse to perform a routine medical procedure when it panicked, got stuck in part of its stall, "and looked as if he was going to choke himself or break his neck."
"I could not get him free until I grabbed the paneling and pushed him out with my foot," Frehner wrote.
"That brings us to one minute later, to the video that you have seen...He started making the weird hard to breathe noise again and started flailing his head as you see. As that went on, I thought it wise for my safety, to reach over with my foot and hit him on the cheek hard enough to startle him so that he would get up again, or at least start breathing again. When I did that, he turned into my foot and I did kick him directly in the chin."
On Monday, Frehner was reported missing. Gonzalez tells us she's also received threats over the incident.
"I am being threatened that I will be the next one missing," she said.
