MONTERAY, CALIFORNIA
GONZALES, Calif. —
Students in the nonprofit agriculture program 4H, which teaches youth ages 9-19 how to raise livestock, found their animals fatally wounded Saturday morning.
Four animals were stabbed in the head and face; two lambs were killed, and one lamb and piglet are recovering from the attack.
The piglet is seemingly in good health with a minor gash to the head, while the sheep sustained a broken leg.
Police are investigating the gruesome attack captured on surveillance footage, which shows a male suspect, according to the program's sheep leader, Erin Askew.
"The first thing that went through my mind was I was thankful our kids weren't down here at the time. You know, we had no idea what time this person came down here. So my first thought is our kids, our children. We have ages 9-19 kids down here, and sometimes they're down here early in the morning to feed, and they come at night," Askew said.
About 24 animals are kept on a lot behind Gonzales High School's stadium, shared with GHS's Future Farmers of America program.
Thanks to community donations, the students were able to purchase three new lambs at a discounted price.
I spent a lot of time in Monterey, first as a student at the DLI for a year, 1981 - 1982, then later as a visitor, 1987 - 2000, after I got a job in Silicon Valley, less than an hour away. My friends and I thought nothing of driving an hour from Palo Alto for lunch on Fisherman’s Wharf on a Sunday afternoon.
It was nice when I was there. It still had a small town feel, to me, in spite of all the tourists. People here on FR that live in the area say that the region has really gone down hill since 2000.
You almost got it.