Georgia bodycam footage reveals truth of beloved baby donkey shot to death after ‘charging’ at cops

In September, the nation was left shocked after reports emerged of a cop allegedly shooting and killing a baby donkey. On that night, two police officers in Polk County, Georgia, were searching a pasture for a missing person when baby donkey HeeHaw began to advance on them. They drew their weapons and shot HeeHaw to death.

Cedartown Police Officer Trenton Garner stated in his incident report that HeeHaw “began to charge at us” and “was trying to attack us on a pasture.” HeeHaw’s heartbroken owner, Hannah Israel, disputed that, saying in a Facebook post:

“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!!”

The “attack”, revealed

Now, via Fox News, the bodycam footage of the incident has been revealed and shows the world HeeHaw “trying to attack” the two officers:

The video, which mercifully skips the moment where HeeHaw is actually shot, shows the officers spotting the baby donkey from across his pasture. They both slowly back away while shining their torches at him as he gently trots toward them. Then the fatal incident takes place.

Breathless, one of the officers calls in, “25 County, be advised, I had to shoot a donkey.” The person on the other end of the line says, “I apologize,” and the officer explains, “firearm discharged at a donkey. It was trying to attack us on the track.”

It’s safe to say those in the replies, having witnessed this supposed “attack,” aren’t exactly sympathetic to the cop, especially against the backdrop of other recent incidents of shot pets. The most-liked reply says: “Yeah, miniature donkeys are well known for their vicious attacks. Cop is a giant p—-y and shouldn’t be anywhere near an authority position or a gun.”

Another added: “That’s not a charge. That’s a trot. From a 3 ft. tall donkey. If you’re so afraid of a baby donkey that you feel a need to shoot it, you’re too chickens–t to be a police officer.” Or, summarizing the incident: “The mini donkey in the bodycam footage does not appear to be “charging” like the Georgia police officer is describing. He’s trotting towards them with ears up curiously towards the lights thinking he might receive either pets or food.”

Following the incident, Garner was placed on administrative leave while the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Law Enforcement Division investigates the incident, but it’s unclear what the result of the investigation is.

Meanwhile, HeeHaw’s owner has launched a lawsuit pointing out that no officer contacted her before entering HeeHaw’s pasture, nobody had asked for permission, and there was no warrant. Her lawsuit also argues there was no urgent emergency to justify entering her land, and seeks to hold Garner personally responsible for HeeHaw’s death.

Her suit argues that “no reasonable officer” in the same position could have believed shooting HeeHaw was necessary to preserve their safety. Israel is seeking financial compensation, additional damages intended to punish wrongdoing, legal costs, and a jury trial.