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Trenton Garner: 5 things about Georgia cop who killed baby donkey HeeHaw as he breaks silence, ‘Fired a single round…’

The Georgia cop who killed baby donkey HeeHaw has been identified as Trenton Garner. He has now revealed why he shot the beloved donkey.

Published on: Sep 6, 2026, 13:42:02 IST
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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.

Five things about Georgia cop who killed beloved donkey HeeHaw as he breaks silence (Elsberry Riding and Farm/Facebook)
Five things about Georgia cop who killed beloved donkey HeeHaw as he breaks silence (Elsberry Riding and Farm/Facebook)

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.

Also Read | HeeHaw GoFundMe: Cedartown officer on leave after ‘baby donkey’ shot dead in Polk County, ‘Killed in his own pasture’

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.

“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.”

Also Read | ‘Justice for HeeHaw’: Netizens fume after Cedartown police officer kills beloved donkey during search for missing child

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.

  • Sumanti Sen
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Sumanti Sen

    Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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