Man’s pet zebra shot dead by police after attacking and seriously injuring him

Video footage from an officer’s body camera showed a man chasing the zebra with a stick.
A man is in the hospital after this zebra bit his arm
Pickaway County deputies

A zebra was shot dead by police as it charged at officers after biting its owner’s arm in Ohio.

Sheriff’s deputies found the victim, 72-year-old Ronald Clifton, in a fenced-in field, lying on the ground at 5.30pm on Sunday.

The large male zebra continued acting aggressively and charged at a deputy’s cruiser that had been positioned to keep the animal away from the victim.

One deputy was able to briefly scare it away using their cruiser’s horn and sirens, but the zebra continued to charge at deputies and other first responders and eventually was shot and killed.

“I had to make a decision,” one deputy said. “I put a slug right between its eyes.”

It was not clear what caused the zebra’s aggressive behaviour, but officials said it may have been trying to protect some female zebras that were in the same field.

The zebra’s owner was hospitalised but is expected to recover.

Police Deputy Michael Oberley later reported: “a large male zebra charged my driver side door and was acting very hostile”.

Mr Clifton “appeared to have a haemorrhage on his right arm just below the elbow,” the officer added.

Video footage from an officer’s body camera showed a man chasing the zebra with a stick.

No other injuries to humans or animals were reported.

Zebras are not considered exotic animals under Ohio law.

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