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A camel escaped from a Tennessee petting zoo and killed two people on Thursday, a county sheriff said.
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The camel escaped and authorities received reports of a loose camel near Shirley Farms in Obion — about 160 km northeast of Memphis — around 5:44 pm Thursday, according to the Guardian.
The report said the camel was “attacking people.”
When authorities arrived, they found “two unconscious victims on the ground” and a camel that was still on the loose.
The sheriff’s department and the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Lake County rescue squad and Ridgely police tried to aid the victims and bring them to a safe location, according to the report.
“The camel attacked an Obion county sheriff’s office vehicle then moved towards deputies who were attempting to move a victim to emergency medical services,” Obion authorities said. “It was at this time officers had to put the camel down for the safety of everyone on scene.”
The statement said the two victims, identified as Bobby Matheny and Tommy Gunn, “did succumb to their injuries and were pronounced dead on scene.”
Inspectors from the US Department of Agriculture had noted alleged animal care and regulatory issues at the petting zoo.
Shirley Farms could not immediately be reached for comment by the Guardian.