The attorney for a businessman accused of harassing an endangered Hawaiian monk seal is publicly defending his client after a viral video captured the incident and sparked outrage online.

Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, is accused of throwing a rock at the head of an endangered Hawaiian monk seal — one of the rarest marine mammals in the world — earlier this month in an incident caught on camera by beachgoers.

Lytvynchuk was arrested near Seattle last week and charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered animal in violation of the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to the Department of Justice.

If convicted, he could face up to one year in prison on each charge, along with a fine of up to $50,000 under the Endangered Species Act and up to $20,000 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

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Lytvynchuk’s attorney, Myles Breiner, recently defended his client, saying he never intended to injure the animal.

“I want to be resoundingly clear to the public — he never intended to injure the monk seal,” Breiner told KHON-TV News.

According to Breiner, Lytvynchuk believed he was protecting sea turtles, or honu, resting on shoreline rocks.

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“He wanted to scare the seal away from the honu he saw there,” he said. “Apparently, there were two large turtles and one had already been knocked off the rock by the seal.”

Breiner also said his client did not know Hawaiian monk seals are an endangered species and was influenced by prior experiences with aggressive sea lions while fishing in Washington state.

“Sea lions are very aggressive,” Breiner said. “They’ll take your bait, they’ll take your fish — that’s been his experience.”

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Prosecutors say a viral video and witness accounts helped lead to the charge. According to the complaint, Lytvynchuk told witnesses he was “rich enough to pay the fines,” a characterization his attorney disputes.

“What are you doing? Why would you throw a rock at it? Hello?” a woman can be heard shouting in the video as a man wearing a white shirt and swim trunks throws a rock toward the seal on a Maui shoreline.

After witnesses confronted him, Lytvynchuk allegedly responded he was “rich enough to pay the fines” if he got into trouble.

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Business records show Lytvynchuk owns a logistics and trucking company based in Kent, Washington.

Breiner said his client plans to take responsibility for violating the law but disputes claims that he intentionally tried to hurt the seal.

“He recognizes he made a bad decision, but the decision wasn’t based on trying to hurt the animal,” Breiner said.

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The attorney also pushed back on reports claiming Lytvynchuk said he was wealthy enough to pay any fines.

“That was a misinterpretation,” Breiner said. “The statement was, ‘I can afford it.’”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Breiner for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Peter D’Abrosca contributed to this report.

“Knot’s Landing” star Donna Mills is doubling down after she went viral for her defiant response to a critic who took aim at her appearance.

Last month, the 85-year-old actress ignited a social media firestorm when she shared a video addressing an Instagram user’s comment that she wears “too much makeup for your age.”

In the clip, Mills first appeared in her usual full-glam style before briefly transforming into stereotypical elderly woman with gray hair, pearls and wire-rimmed glasses.

“Did you want me to look like this?” she asked with a chuckle. “Sorry, not sorry.”

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The clip cut back to Mills in her previous chic look as she said, “I like the way I look. This is my style, and style doesn’t have an expiration date.”

Mills’ video quickly spread across social media, garnering over 125,000 likes and winning praise in the comments from fans and celebrities, including Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Kyle Richardson, Elizabeth Berkley, Nancy Sinatra and Dawn Robinson among others.

On Tuesday, Mills made an appearance on the Tamron Hall Show to discuss her viral moment as the TV host noted that the actress’s video had racked up over 1.8 million views.

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While explaining why she decided to respond to the critic, Mills pointed out that the comment was about more than just her appearance.

“I don’t get those comments a lot, but when I do, it’s like, ‘Who is this person? What do they think about women?'” Mills said.

“It’s not just about me,” she continued. “It’s about women in general and the way women feel about themselves, right?

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“So that’s why I wanted to shout back at them and say, ‘Wait a minute. No, no, I don’t accept that.’ And I’m not going to be quiet about it,” Mills added.

Mills recalled being “totally surprised” by the viral reaction but appreciative that her message about aging and confidence struck a chord.

“I was just grateful that people were hearing,” she said. “Because I’ve really feel like I have something to say to women. I want to say something to women and I want to help.”

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Addressing the broader conversation sparked by Mills’ video, Hall asked, “With all of these empowering messages, why do people still feel so comfortable telling women how they should dress and look at a certain age?”

“It just seems to me that they have been hearing it for many years,” Mills responded. “And it’s a new age now. It’s a new time. We’re living longer.”

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“We’re healthier,” she continued. “We can be healthier “So, this isn’t like the end. You don’t hit 70 or 75 or 80 and it’s over.”

“No, it’s just a new time.”

The “Play Misty for Me” star underscored the link between self-image and personal happiness, saying, “I really feel like when you look good and you know you look good, you feel good, right?”

Mills shared that she also experiences moments of self-doubt after Hall asked her how she maintains her self-confidence in a “business that is not forgiving to women and aging.”

“When I look in the mirror, I see everything that’s wrong,” Mills admitted.

“So then, how can you tell us to see what’s right?” Hall asked.

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“Well, I fix it,” Mills said to laughter from the audience.

Earlier this month, Mills reacted to becoming a social media sensation in a post she shared on Instagram.

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“If you told me at 85 I’d be going viral on social media, I wouldn’t have believed you…but here we are,” she wrote alongside a screenshot of an article about her video.

“I’ve spent a lifetime speaking up and speaking out, and I’ve always believed it lands best with a wink, not a jab,” she added. I’m so glad this moment found its audience exactly as intended.”

Mills rose to fame when she starred as the scheming divorcee Abby Cunningham in the long-running soap opera “Knots Landing” from 1980 to 1989. Abby was known for her glamorous makeup, styled blonde hair and power-dressing wardrobe.

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The actress will next be seen starring as Dr. Karen Carden in Terrance Tykeem’s upcoming thriller “Abused,” which follows “what happens when six survivors of abuse are re-traumatized by a madman.” “Abused” is slated to be released this summer.

A Chicago pastor brought hundreds of men together on the city’s South Side Sunday in an effort to reduce violence and reclaim a neighborhood once labeled among the most dangerous in the city.

Pastor Corey B. Brooks and Project H.O.O.D. hosted the “1000 Men Unity Gathering” at the nearly completed Robert R. McCormick Leadership & Economic Opportunity Center at 6620 S. King Drive, where organizers declared the surrounding area a “100% violence-free zone.”

“This is bigger than a building,” Brooks said. “This is about creating a culture where men stand together to protect families, mentor young people, reduce violence, and build something that will outlive us.”

“We are declaring that this community deserves peace, opportunity, and hope,” he added.

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The event brought together pastors, fathers, mentors, activists, business leaders, former gang members and residents from across Chicago in what organizers described as a unified effort to promote safety, accountability and opportunity on the South Side.

Brooks told Fox News Digital that approximately 750 men attended the gathering, where community members committed to maintaining the neighborhood as a peaceful environment for families and children.

“We declared that this is going to be a peace zone, a nonviolent zone, a violence-free zone,” Brooks said. “So the young kids can come to the center and have peace of mind knowing they don’t have to worry about their safety.”

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The Robert R. McCormick Leadership & Economic Opportunity Center is designed to address violence and poverty through workforce development, mentorship, education, entrepreneurship, job training and community engagement, according to Project H.O.O.D.

Attendees received an early look inside the facility Sunday as organizers outlined plans for the center to serve future generations on Chicago’s South Side.

Brooks said the neighborhood surrounding the center was once considered one of the most dangerous areas in Chicago.

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“In 2014, the Chicago Sun-Times wrote an article saying this was the most dangerous neighborhood in all Chicago, and it happened to be this block,” Brooks told Fox News Digital. “So, we decided to transform it, and that’s what’s been happening.”

The area is no longer ranked among Chicago’s 35 most dangerous blocks, which Brooks attributed to ongoing community investment and outreach efforts.

He founded Project H.O.O.D. — Helping Others Obtain Destiny — to reduce violence and poverty on Chicago’s South Side through mentorship, faith, workforce training and economic development initiatives.

Brooks said he hopes the project can serve as a national model for urban communities seeking long-term change.

“I think this center is going to be an example of what we can do across America in urban areas,” Brooks said. “If we don’t wait on government and take responsibility for ourselves, we can change the trajectory of these neighborhoods and urban centers.”