1-year-old miniature donkey HeeHaw was killed by a cop who claimed that the donkey charged at him.
What happened to the police officer?
A Georgia police officer who shot and killed a beloved pet donkey while searching for a missing 12-year-old girl has explained why he opened fire, saying the animal charged at officers and did not stop even after a Taser was used. Police were searching the area after the 12-year-old girl went missing. A newly released police report provides the first detailed account from Cedartown Police Officer Trenton Garner, who was involved in the search for the missing girl. The Cedartown Police Department confirmed that an investigation was underway.
Israel said HeeHaw was simply reacting to strangers entering his territory when he approached and brayed. HeeHaw was encountered during that search and was shot after the officer said the animal charged at the team. She has also questioned why officers entered the property and pasture without notifying the family or obtaining permission. The family has been left devastated by the shooting and has sought accountability over the incident. The Georgia Department of Agriculture Law Enforcement Division is also conducting an independent investigation into the shooting. The incident has generated significant public reaction, with many people questioning whether deadly force was justified against the donkey and demanding the release of body-camera footage. Officers followed a trail during the search that led them onto the farm property. The girl was later found safe near a church.
Officer says he feared the donkey
His death on August 30 triggered widespread outrage after the owner said he was friendly, harmless and had never shown aggression toward people.
The police report says the team was moving through the property while trying to locate the missing girl and that the donkey’s behavior prompted the officers to respond with force. The donkey, named HeeHaw, was a one-year-old bottle-raised animal kept as a family pet at Elsberry Riding and Farm in Rockmart, Georgia. The missing girl was eventually found safe at a church near the area where officers were searching.