Sea lion stabbing suspect may face federal charges

Hai Nguyen, the 24-year-old Garden Grove man suspected of stabbing a sea lion, has been booked on charges of cruelty to animals.

His arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 10 at Harbor Justice Center, Newport Beach police said.

Nguyen allegedly stabbed a sea lion that took the bait from his pole while he was fishing off the M Street Pier on the Balboa Peninsula on Friday, police said.

The animal had to be euthanized later that day due to internal bleeding. The Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach submitted an autopsy report to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Office for Law Enforcement, a federal agency dedicated to protecting and conserving living marine resources and their habitats.

The administration is investigating the case and is considering pursuing federal charges, a special agent at the Long Beach field office said.

Annie Nguyen, the suspect’s sister-in-law, said she was “shocked” by the news because of “Hai’s love for marine life, wildlife and the outdoors.”

“I can’t justify his actions, but he is a very experienced fisherman,” she said. “He is not just somebody who came on to the beach thinking he knows everything. He is an avid fisherman and loves every aspect of fishing.”

— Jessie Brunner