A Florida man is facing criminal charges after allegedly shooting a cow that wandered onto his property.
Hung Trinh, 55, faces charges of aggravated animal cruelty and theft of a commercial farm animal, according to WSVN-7. The cow’s owner called the Lee Lee County Sheriff’s Office after discovering that the two-year-old cow had been shot several times.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Agricultural Unit found nothing wrong with the fence that separated Trinh’s property from the owner of the cows. The station reported that authorities believe the cow may have jumped the fence.
“The suspect had threatened to shoot the livestock if it returned to their property, and we discovered that is exactly what happened,” Lee County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Julie Sin stated.
The cow sustained gunshot wounds to the gut, chest, and rear leg. According to the sheriff’s office, a veterinarian determined that the calf’s injuries required euthanasia.
Police obtained a search warrant and found a.22 caliber gun in a shed on Trinh’s property.
“There will be accountability for taking your frustrations out on innocent animals, in this case multiple felonies and jail time,” said Carmine Marceno, the sheriff. “We understand how important these animals are to our farming community, and we will not tolerate these actions. I am proud of my Agriculture Unit is prompt response and ability to make an arrest in this matter.”