A local student is suspended and facing animal cruelty charges for what police say he did to a duck.

18-year old Derike Bennett is accused of hitting and killing a duck with a bat at Baldwin Middle-High School on Monday.

"That incident did take place and it is a code of conduct violation so that student has been suspended from Baldwin High School," Duval County School's Jill Johnson said.

According to police reports, track coach saw Bennett hit something with a bat, and they later found the duck.

Bennett's friend says he killed the duck on a dare and the case is being overblown.

 "They all said it was just all a big game. They were just messing around and being typical teenage kids," said Bennett's friend, Josh Lynn

He is expected back to school next week following a five day suspension, and has a court date to answer the animal abuse charges.