A West Virginia man shot a deer with 14 points on its antlers Tuesday evening in Washington and faced several charges including cruelty to animals and having an unregistered firearm in the District of Columbia according to police.
The man – Vernon Goyne who lives on Raccoon Lane in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia – fired a handgun at the deer in the Palisades area of the city, according to a police report.
It was not known if he was trying to hunt in that area or doing other business there.
Goyne faced five charges in the incident, including discharging a firearm and having unregistered ammunition, according to a police report.
Police said they became aware of the situation when neighbors called 911 about hearing gunshots.
FOX 5 was among the first to report on the incident. According to FOX 5, law enforcement officials said the man was dressed in camouflage when officers arrived.
Police said a deer was found in the area and later had to be euthanized because of its injuries.
Scott Giacoppo, a chief community animal welfare officer for the Washington Humane Society, told FOX 5 the incident serves as a reminder that there “is no hunting season in D.C.”
Giacoppo also said animals in the city, he believes, are “at an even more unfair advantage than they would normally be in an area where hunting is allowed.”
“These animals are more accustomed to human beings being around without a threat, so they are more apt to come within a closer proximity.”
Authorities with the Humane Society said the deer had 14 points and was believed to weigh around 250 pounds, according to FOX 5.
(c) 2016, The Washington Post ยท Dana Hedgpeth
