A horse allegedly beaten in public view on a Lancaster County roadway Tuesday has been euthanized, a local official reports.

The incident, which has prompted a large and angry reaction on social media, was reported on Bethany Road near Brossman Road in Ephrata around noon on Tuesday.

Bystander Tawn Crowther of Lancaster says she watched as the horse's handler beat the animal to the ground after the horse struggled to carry a wagon containing a load of watermelons and two grown men up the road.

On Wednesday, local police confirmed the animal was later euthanized, and said the Lancaster County branch of the SPCA has assisted in the investigation and response.

An attempt to reach local SPCA director Susan Martin was not immediately successful on Wednesday afternoon.

But Ephrata police Lt. Christopher J. McKim urged against a rush to judgment, saying all of the facts are not yet in.

In a Wednesday press conference, McKim said the horse's owner and handler has been identified, but that the identity is being withheld with cruelty charges yet to be filed against the man. It is not clear if they will be, McKim clarified.

The lieutenant said officers from his department arrived at the scene Tuesday and found the horse lying on its side and partially obstructing the roadway.

McKim said local fire officials attempted to keep the animal cool by spraying it with water, while police processed the scene.

The lieutenant said a bystander alleged the horse's handler had injured the animal and caused it to fall to the ground.

But McKim said more investigatory work needs to be done before conclusions are reached.

"Facts and only facts will determine if and what charges are brought in this case," McKim told a group of reporters.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact Ephrata police at 717-738-9200.

Today my friend Mimi and I watched as an Amish criminal beat a horse to the point it collapsed. The horse was unable to... Posted by Tawn Crowther on Tuesday, August 2, 2016

In her Facebook post, shared nearly 15,000 times in the past day, Crowther says she and a friend watched the incident unfold, and that she was the one who first called police to report it. Police have not publicly identified the 911 caller or bystander at the scene who alleged the animal had been physically abused.

In her description on Facebook, Crowther said she observed the horse struggling to pull a wagon containing a load of watermelons and two grown men up the road.

Crowther said she watched as one of the two men "walked beside the horse and beat it until it fell to the [ground]," adding "At that point he continued to kick, hit and pull on the poor seemingly dying animal. I pulled over and called the police."

PennLive could not immediately confirm the account, or whether it had been supported by any other eyewitnesses at the scene.

According to Crowther, police arrived to evaluate the situation, "only to tell me that they are unsure of the outcome."

She believed this was because the men involved were Amish or members of a Plain Sect, and said an officer told her their religious faith may make a criminal case against them harder to pursue.

Lieutenant McKim denied this on Wednesday, saying all Pennsylvanians are subject to the state's laws. He also identified the two men with the horse at the time of the alleged incident as locals, but said nothing more about them is being released publicly at this time.

Attempts to obtain further comment and video of the incident from Crowther were not immediately successful on Wednesday afternoon. She has posted still frames or photos to her social media account which show a man leaning over the horse as it lies on the ground. The still frames do not show the animal being struck, however.

Police say their investigation into the matter continues.