A man from Florida faced arrest after he allegedly shot his neighbor’s pregnant cow multiple times when it strayed onto his land, following through on his warning to shoot any intruding animals, as reported by deputies.
Hung Trinh, aged 54, faces charges of animal cruelty and grand theft of a commercial farm animal. He is accused of firing five shots at the two-year-old cow, targeting areas including its stomach, chest, and rear leg, according to a post by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office on social media.
Deputies were dispatched to a residence in North Fort Myers on May 13, where they found the cow alive but struggling to maintain balance or walk. The neighbor had informed the sheriff’s office about finding the calf on his property with five gunshot injuries.
A veterinarian determined the calf needed to be euthanized due to its injuries. (Lee County Sheriff’s Office)
Detectives executed 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,” Sheriff Carmine Marceno said in a statement.
The two-year-old calf had five gunshot wounds to its gut, chest and rear leg. (Lee County Sheriff’s Office)
“We know how much these animals mean to our farming community, and we will not tolerate these actions. I am proud of my Agriculture Unit for their immediate response and ability to make an arrest in this case,” the sheriff continued.
Trinh was booked on a $100,000 bond. His arraignment is scheduled for June 16.
