Posted on 03/12/2022 8:03:53 PM PST by Trillian
A rampaging camel from a Tennessee petting zoo attacked and killed two men Thursday afternoon, authorities reported.
The Obion County Sheriff's Office announced on Friday that it received reports of a camel on the loose that was attacking people at Shirley Farms in Obion.
In audio obtained by CBS News, a dispatcher can be heard reporting 'two 911 calls of people being viciously attacked by a camel.'
By the time deputies arrived on the scene, they found two unconscious victims, and the camel remained on the loose.
The camel was later put down 'for the safety of everyone on the scene,' authorities said.
Bobby Matheny, 42, and Tommy Gunn, 67, were pronounced dead.
The Sheriff's Office said it first received received a call about a loose camel at Shirley Farms, on the site of The Pumpkin Barn, LLC, at around 4:44 p.m.
Officials from multiple agencies responded to the incident, and deputies who arrived immediately found two unconscious victims, Sheriff Karl Jackson said on Friday.
Officers immediately tried to provide aid to the victims and move them to a safe place, he said, as the camel attacked an Obion County Sheriff's Office vehicle.
The animal then moved toward the deputies, who were transferring a victim to EMS, at which point, Jackson said, 'officers had to put the camel down for the safety of everyone on [the] scene.'
In the aftermath, Matheny and Gunn succumbed to their injuries, and were pronounced dead at the scene.
Nick Beres, a reporter for News Channel 5 Nashville, later reported that he spoke to a family member of one of the victims, who said they had been trying to help capture the animal when it cornered them and attacked, stomping them to the ground.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Sometimes you just gotta take out your lumps.
The camel was probably abused. They are very affectionate animals, but they are big and can be dangerous if not handled right.
“Yup, never figure out if the animal was taunted and provoked. Just shoot it.”
It said the camel was coming at the police who were loading the guys into the ambulance.
I sympathize with an animal until it becomes a threat.
sheesh- imagine 200 years from now the family going over their past relatives- two families will say “Yeah uncle so and so was killed by a camel’- not many families can say that- I had a past relative who was killed by lightening- which is kinda rare i guess- but a camel?
I first posted about this yesterday - this article adds new info. that the two deceased men were evidently trying to help capture the camel. Oh, golly, trying to capture most any wild mammal is NOT wise unless one has training and (probably) equipment. Even a freaking mouse can give a nasty little bite w/ possible infection.
Agreed on taking down the camel: Some of the comments at the article sound like people are more upset about the camel’s demise than the two men!
That said, the people running this outfit were irresponsible to have wild animals, no matter how tame they might seem, in a petting zoo. It sounds like the animals were not well cared for, either. I’m gonna guess this operation will get sued out of existence, and there might be criminal charges too?
Over the years, I’ve come to dislike zoos for that reason.
Bobby and Tommy: it's sad they never got to grow up.
Probably would have been best to "put down" the angry pony and the goat afterwards, just to be sure.
Maybe the women and children, as well.
Can't be too careful!
/mordant sarcasm
Regards,
Did they let Camela Harris loose again?
Re: “By the time deputies arrived on the scene,...”
Sigh!...Again!...When seconds count, the police are minutes away.
That 2x4 came in handy didn’t it?
It kept the diseased animal at bay...
sheesh- imagine 200 years from now the family going over their past relatives- two families will say “Yeah uncle so and so was killed by a camel’- not many families can say that- I had a past relative who was killed by lightening- which is kinda rare i guess- but a camel?
~``````````````````````````````
I had an uncle who was killed by a weasel.
Uncle Juan was walking on the railroad tracks and he didn’t hear the weasel.
Peanut sat on a railroad track
His heart was all a-flutter
His one true love had been untrue
She’d left him for a nutter
Then along came the 8:15
Toot! Toot! Peanut Butter
Great, now we have to open up another statistical category... Death by dromedary in a petting zoo...
lol- ugggh!
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