Lawsuit follows police shooting of family’s miniature donkey in Georgia.
A federal lawsuit has been filed against a Cedartown, Georgia, police officer following the shooting death of a miniature donkey named HeeHaw, who was killed August 30 at Elsberry Riding and Farm while officers were searching the area for a missing 12-year-old girl. The lawsuit seeks $1 million from local authorities and claims the donkey did not pose a threat that justified the shooting. Attorney Chris McCormick filed the suit on behalf of HeeHaw’s owner and also sent a $1 million demand to the Cedartown Police Department and the Polk County Board of Commissioners, giving officials thirty days to respond.
The shooting took place at about 12:45 a.m. while police were looking for the missing child. Farm owner Hannah Israel said officers entered the pasture without first asking for permission. According to accounts provided by police, HeeHaw approached the officers while braying. Officers reportedly tried to use a Taser on the donkey before an officer shot and killed him. Israel said the family was not immediately shown where the donkey had been left after the shooting but found him in a dark pasture.
HeeHaw was not simply a farm animal to the family. Israel had bottle-raised the miniature donkey and regularly took him to local petting zoos. His death has since drawn public attention, with people questioning whether police had other options available when they encountered the animal during the search. The controversy grew during a recent protest held over the donkey’s death. A video taken at the event showed an angry confrontation involving a man cursing at reporter Sal Insinga. Family members appeared to hold the man back as the confrontation continued. Insinga said he was attacked while attempting to collect comments from people.
The missing girl was found safe shortly after the shooting near the pasture. Police Chief Jamie Newsome placed the officer responsible, Trenton Ryan Garner, was placed on administrative leave while the department investigates the incident. The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Law Enforcement Division is also reviewing the case to get more details about what occurred. Police officials have not publicly released body camera footage from the incident. Those records could provide more information about the encounter between the officers and HeeHaw, including how close the animal was to the officers and what happened before the shooting. Questions also remain about why the farm owner was not directed to HeeHaw’s location.
The case now involves both a police investigation and a federal legal claim. The court case will give the courts an opportunity to review the claims made by the donkey’s owner, while the police and state reviews could provide additional information about the officer’s actions that night. For the family, the dispute follows the loss of an animal that had been largely treated like a domesticated pet and part of the family. For law enforcement officials, the investigation will determine whether Garner acted within both the police department’s and the ‘rules while searching for the missing child or if he handled the situation inappropriately. More details are still to come.
Sources:
Lawsuit filed against police over donkey shooting, attorney says
HeeHaw’s owner demands $1 million from city, sues officer who shot miniature donkey
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