The Georgia cop who killed baby donkey HeeHaw has been identified as Trenton Garner, the New York Post reported. He has now revealed why he shot the beloved donkey.
Garner fired one shot at the one-year-old donkey after going into his pasture at the Elsberry Riding and Farm ranch in Rockmart, Georgia, during a search for a missing 12-year-old girl, according to an incident report seen by the outlet.
Five things to know about Trenton Garner
Here are five things to know about Trenton Garner:
- Garner joined the Cedartown Police Department in July 2023.
- Garner claimed that HeeHaw charged at officers as they made their way into the petting zoo after following a trail of footprints, where they came across some horses. “As we were tacking down the fence line, the horses in the pasture spooked and ran back away from us across the pasture,” Garner said in his report. “At this time, K-9 Handler Thomasson stated that there was a donkey on the side of the hill. The donkey then began to charge at us.”
- The K-9 handler grabbed his Taser and aimed at HeeHaw, Garner said. “This in fact did not deter the donkey, so I removed my department-issued Glock 17 from its holster and pointed it at the donkey. I then fired a single round striking the donkey,” he explained. HeeHaw then turned around and went up the hill before collapsing.
- Garner said that he then reported the shooting to police, following which officers spoke to HeeHaw’s owner Hannah Israel, who “stated that the donkey would never act aggressive towards anyone, nor would it try to bite anyone.” The missing girl was later found at a church close to the pasture.
- Garner has been put on administrative leave. Officials at the Georgia Department of Agriculture Law Enforcement carry out an independent investigation, Jamie Newsome, the Cedartown Police Chief, said in a video.
What Hannah Israel said
Israel spoke out after the donkey’s fatal shooting, calling HeeHaw the donkey her “son.” Israel is a Georgia farm owner.
{{/usCountry}}Israel spoke out after the donkey’s fatal shooting, calling HeeHaw the donkey her “son.” Israel is a Georgia farm owner.
{{/usCountry}}“At 12:45am cops entered my pasture searching for a missing person WITHOUT permission or warning and shot and killed my bottle raised baby donkey,” she wrote on Facebook. “They claimed he ran up to them braying and they thought they were in danger and shot and killed him after trying to taze him.”
Israel added, “HeeHaw was raised in the house and did petting zoos he never knew a stranger. And was shot and killed in his OWN pasture for doing what donkeys do. Alerting to a stranger. There is no way this is legal! I will be taking legal action. Share this everywhere and get justice for HeeHaw. We are heart broken, he was my SON!!”
Israel later shared a heartbreaking video of the donkey running up to meet her. HeeHaw emerged from the fields and lovingly rubbed its head against his owner.
“August 27th. The last video I have of HeeHaw “running” up to meet me. he was such a joyful fellow,” she wrote.
A GoFundMe has been launched for HeeHaw.