NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. — A Florida man has been arrested after allegedly shooting his neighbor’s cow five times, causing fatal injuries to the animal, police said.
Incident Details
On May 13, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Agriculture Unit responded to a call from a ranch on Sharon Drive regarding reports of animal cruelty. Deputies found a 2-year-old calf with five gunshot wounds to its guts, chest, and rear leg.
A veterinarian examined the calf and determined it needed to be euthanized due to the severity of the injuries.
Background and Investigation
The owner of the calf told authorities that 54-year-old Hung Trinh, the neighbor, had previously expressed anger over livestock jumping fences and had threatened to shoot the animals.
Detectives obtained a search warrant and found the .22 caliber gun allegedly used in the shooting in a shed on Trinh’s property.
Charges and Law Enforcement Statement
Trinh was charged with animal cruelty and grand theft of a commercial farm animal. Sheriff Carmine Marceno condemned the act, emphasizing the importance of livestock to the farming community and promising accountability.
“There will be accountability for taking your frustrations out on innocent animals, in this case multiple felonies and jail time,” Marceno said. “I am proud of my Agriculture Unit for their immediate response and ability to make an arrest in this case.”
Source Attribution
Information sourced from:
- Lee County Sheriff’s Office statement (leesheriff.org)
- Local Florida news outlets
**This article was written by [Marcel Galligan]. AI was used lightly for grammar and formatting, but the ideas, words, and edits are all mine.**
