Officer Trenton Garner, Cedartown police officer in Georgia who shot and killed baby donkey HeeHaw while searching for missing person at petting zoo says animal charged at him. Animal owner, Hannah Israel of Elsberry Riding and Farm demands justice as investigation continues.
Was a police officer ever in danger or just smitten with the power of a badge…?
A Georgia police officer who admitted shooting and killing a baby donkey during a search for a missing person last week has claimed ‘being left no choice’ after the animal ‘charging’ at him.
Officer Trenton Garner, 24, with the Cedartown Police Department fired one shot at the 1-year-old donkey after going into his pasture at the Elsberry Riding and Farm ranch in Rockmart, Ga, at around 12:45 a.m. Sunday, during a search for a missing 12-year-old girl.
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Garner a K-9 handler and a bloodhound team had made their way into the petting zoo after following a trail of footprints – before coming across some horses according to an incident report.
‘As we were tacking down the fence line, the horses in the pasture spooked and ran back away from us across the pasture,’ Garner said in his report cited by the nypost.
‘At this time, K-9 Handler Thomasson stated that there was a donkey on the side of the hill. The donkey then began to charge at us.’
The newbie K-9 handler grabbed his Taser and aimed at the donkey, but the device failed, according to Garner, who joined the Cedartown Police Department in July 2023.
‘This in fact did not deter the donkey, so I removed my department-issued Glock 17 from its holster and pointed it at the donkey. I then fired a single round striking the donkey,’ the cop said.
HeeHaw turned around and went up the hill before collapsing.
HeeHaw baby donkey owner demands justice
Garner recalled that he reported the shooting to police and officers spoke with Hannah Israel, HeeHaw’s owner, who ‘stated that the donkey would never act aggressive towards anyone, nor would it try to bite anyone.’
The missing 12-year-old girl was later found at a church close to the pasture.
Garner has since been put on administrative leave while officials at the Georgia Department of Agriculture Law Enforcement carry out an independent investigation, Jamie Newsome, the Cedartown Police Chief, revealed in a video.
The episode has since left HeeHaw’s owner outraged and demanding justice.
‘Cops entered my pasture searching for a missing person WITHOUT permission or warning and shot and killed my bottle raised BABY donkey,’ she wrote online Sunday, vowing to take legal action.
‘HeeHaw was raised in the house and did petting zoos he never knew a stranger. And was shot and killed in his OWN pasture for doing what donkeys do. Alerting to a stranger.’
‘We are heartbroken. He was my son.’
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Israel shared a harrowing pic of the donkey lying on his side, dead after the tragedy (see above image).
Israel continues to call for answers from law enforcement.
‘We’re very traumatized and shocked,’ the animal owner told Gray News.
‘He just had his first birthday a couple of months ago.
‘He should not be dead. The whole circumstances literally say that HeeHaw shouldn’t have died. And donkeys live to be about 35 to 40 years old.
‘Like, I thought I would raise my future kids with HeeHaw, but instead he’s gone. So, it’s very devastating.’
Authorities have yet to say what action, if any, wil be taken against the officer as officials continue to investigate.
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