A 56-year-old man has been charged with cruelty to animals after he snapped a chicken’s neck in front of customers at the Kailua Target, police said.

Walter Anderson pleaded not guilty Thursday to second-degree cruelty to animals. He was released after posting $300 bail.

A Target employee reported the incident shortly after it happened on Nov. 3, court documents said.

The employee saw Anderson waving a dead black bird at other employees and customers about 9 p.m.

The employee told police that Anderson was allowed to purchase the items in his cart and then was asked to leave the store. A few minutes later, the employee was leaving the store after finishing his shift when he saw Anderson again outside the entrance.

Anderson was shouting profanities and walked over to a small tree where he grabbed a chicken and snapped the bird’s neck, then threw the fowl on the ground, the employee told police.

Anderson grabbed another chicken from the tree and walked to a nearby bus stop.

The employee told police he could identify the man who killed the chicken “for no apparent reason in a cruel and inhumane way.”

He said he was willing to prosecute.

The store also banned Anderson after the incident, the court documents said.

Anderson was arrested later that night near the store.