r/Infuriating • u/Intrepid-Progress228 Community Regular • 1d ago
Why? Just. . .why?
A police officer in the US state of Georgia was placed on leave after a family’s pet baby donkey was shot and killed during an early-morning search on their property.
The animal’s owner, Hannah Israel, said officers were at her pasture without notification or permission at about 12.45am on Sunday, reportedly looking for a missing person when they encountered the small male donkey named HeeHaw.
According to a Facebook post by Israel, HeeHaw emerged braying at the presence of strangers at Elsberry farm in Rockmart – and was shot dead by an officer who claimed he felt under threat.
Jamie Newsome, the Cedartown, Georgia, police department chief, told local media that an officer had been placed on leave and that an inquiry was under way. But a social media backlash by Monday morning was growing over the absence of any official statement or confirmation from the city or police department.
Meanwhile, an online fundraising appeal launched by Israel to support legal action over HeeHaw’s killing quickly surpassed $35,000.
“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 wrote in her Facebook post, which featured a photograph of her kneeling by the fallen donkey.
“HeeHaw was raised in the house and did petting zoos [and] 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.
“We are heartbroken. He was my son.”
The only official statement as of Monday was from the Polk county, Georgia, sheriff’s office, which said its officers were not involved. But the agency said that law enforcement personnel from the separate police departments of Polk county and Cedartown were.
“We extend our sincere condolences to the family and everyone affected by this unfortunate incident,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We understand the concern and sadness surrounding what occurred.”
The Polk county police department, Cedartown’s municipal government and its police department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In her post, Israel said HeeHaw was bottle-raised and maintained he was killed in his own pasture by “trespassing” cops.
Coosa Valley News reported in an online article that Newsome said members of his department’s command staff had opened an investigation into the shooting – and that the officer involved, who was not identified, had been placed on administrative leave while the investigation into the case progressed.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/31/georgia-police-officer-on-leave-donkey-killed
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u/ToastSpangler Community Regular 1d ago
Imagine calling yourself rural and claiming a donkey looking at you was a threat to your life
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u/Volvainn 1d ago
cop goes into animal pasture
is surprised when animal approaches them
Fuck em to hell
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u/Superb-Talk2211 1d ago
This is what happens when you hand a badge and a gun to a coward. These asswipes love to portray themselves as so brave, and a few are. But most are like this infectious human waste -- scared of their own shadow, and constantly "fearing for their safety." A person trembling with that kind of fear should never even own a gun, much less receive a state license to kill with it.
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u/tympantroglodyte 15h ago
I think we need to be careful when we throw around accusations like “coward.” He could be a sociopath, after all.
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u/Pristine_Dare_2510 1d ago
Cops are fuckin pigs who look to use their weapons on anything. I have more respect for that donkey than any police officer. They are dumb under trained and all have the inclination to abuse their very limited authority.
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u/BoredPineapple790 8h ago
Donkeys are smart. It’s one reason they are thought to be stubborn. They will refuse to do something stupid. This makes them perfect for more dangerous trails like descending into a canyon
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u/TheRealRichon 1d ago
Dude should be fired without pay, bare minimum.
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u/Unusual_Artichoke_73 12h ago
I’m sure the police union will do what it does, keep shitty cops employed with no regard for public safety.
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u/DontEvenWithMe1 1d ago
Should be fired upon like he did to HeeHaw!
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u/TheRealRichon 1d ago
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u/ShhweadyBallz 1d ago
I used to live in Cedertown ..... sounds about right for those back water inbred pigs
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u/DerekTheComedian 1d ago
First a fucking GOLDEN DOODLE, the friendliest dog breed i have ever met, and now a donkey? JFC soon they're going to just start shooting babies or people sleeping in their beds..... oh wait....
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u/Shiloh50 1d ago
Wtf is wrong with people? A 4 year might be afraid of a donkey. But a grown as man? He shouldn’t be a cop! Not sure what job would be good for him. It seems he is afraid of the world.
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u/jawide626 1d ago
This has fucking infuriated me.
But that cop will get their badge back next week without facing any penalties, we all know it.
Meanwhile a family, and community, is missing a beloved animal they'll never be able to replace.
Sickening.
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u/jersey_viking 8h ago
I’m sure they are looking into the family’s legal history to see if they can pin it as their own fault. Nobody is asking Why they were there, Where is the perpetrator they were looking for? Was that a fabricated story? Seems that if they are doing a Man Search at someone’s residence, without a warrant or notice, at 1AM it must’ve been some big criminal- - - where are they? Where is their proof?
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u/Conscious-Big-25 1d ago
Police say they felt in danger as the automatic defense no matter what happened, absolutely ridiculous
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u/Even_Entrepreneur_58 1d ago
Just imagine how much of a coward you need to be, to feel threatened by a donkey a baby donkey at that.
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u/Economy-electrician 1d ago
I really hope they win in court. Tax payers shouldn't have to carry the burden of the cost but the department needs to obviously train better. Guys like this should never be allowed to dawn the uniform. Countless stories of trigger happy cops because they're scared. If you get scared of a three foot donkey maybe you're in the wrong profession
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u/hpsctchbananahmck 1d ago
After police investigation by the police the police determined the police were acting in appropriate capacity and the police did nothing wrong and the police officer involved will get a taxpayer funded vacation to then go on to police the world further.
The time for police reform is now
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u/pm_me_fibonaccis 21h ago
>They claimed he ran up to them braying and they thought they were in danger
Ok, and even if they were in danger (they weren't), THEY'RE TRESPASSING.
Police, without a warrant, have the same rights and responsibilities as you or I when it comes to visiting somebody else's property. Nobody else gets to enter your pasture and shoot your animals, so why would they?
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u/Alpine_yellow 18h ago
He just wanted to do it and thought that he'd get away with it because of his badge
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u/Excellent_Coconut_81 16h ago
I hate this passive aggressive passive voice. Donkey was killed. Like it was donkey's fault. Someone killed that donkey. Someone wearing uniform. Passive voice in headlines should be forbidden.
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u/NoMeat9096 1d ago
We need a better word than pig, really. Pigs are smart and clean.
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u/StandardAssignment19 1d ago
Remember, the first defense police officers go to if they felt threatened. Not that they were threatened. They get the shield of fee fees cause they are allowed to be cowards.
Even citizens aren't allowed to kill on that level. They are more cowardly than the people they are authorized to kill.
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u/XXII78 1d ago
I hope karma is reciprocal for that cop
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u/Deplorable1861 7h ago
Because baby donkeys are the biggest criminality problem in Polk County.
Decertify, take gun away, move this guy to Meter Maid duty, or dusting the evidence locker. A guy this lacking in trigger discipline is going to kill a kid for crying. So yeah, this needs a lawsuit. But qualified immunity will sweep this epic incompetence under the rug.
Guys like this do not need to be Armed to the Menace of the Public.
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u/pumpkin_pie0123 1d ago
i saw a video of a cop shooting a little white dog. not aggressive or attacking him or anything, just because
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u/Califrisco 1d ago
So sad for that family! Their own child needlessly shot by an ignorant man with a gun, who never should have had one if he was frighted by a donkey.
This cop was clearly not the brightest tool in the shed. So sad that many of our police that are caught in situations like this cannot think logically or with compassion; only fear and anger.
Outrage should be leveled at the Polk County police department for not selecting and training their police properly and taking more accountability for their inaction that lead to this tragedy.
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u/bill-schick 1d ago
And should have never been on the property in the first place, no warrant and no permission from the owner. Sadly a donkey was shot and not the dumb cop
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u/InternationalJob9135 23h ago edited 6h ago
What an asshat! The “officer” that killed/murdered that innocent donkey, out of “fear or ignorance” is an embarrassment to the profession.
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u/Appropriate_Cheek_13 22h ago
This makes my blood boil. Are there any cops left that have a shred of human decency?
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u/Pretend-Literature35 21h ago
It's not a requirement for the job. But being a soulless psychopath is. Shooting a baby donkey! Wow.
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u/nosmelc 8h ago
The truth is the vast majority of cops aren't like this. It's just we never hear stories about all of the times they went out and did their jobs right. We only hear the stories of the few who do not.
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u/No-Dig-9745 2h ago
And when their fellow officer shoots the donkey, what do the good officers do? When this officer inevitably gets off without facing consequences and a cushy paid vacation, what will the good cops in the department do? Probably nothing, and I'm just tired of the "good cop" thing. The reporting system and culture isn't designed for you to be a good cop. You're a cop who does this, or you're a cop who stands there and watches.
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u/nosmelc 2h ago
It's not up to his fellow cops to do anything. It's up to the department and our legal system.
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u/No-Dig-9745 2h ago
I could cry if I don't laugh at this. You're either ignorant to how these things are investigated internally and have horrifyingly low conviction rates, or willfully ignorant to it.
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u/COlax1980 17h ago
Fuck that cop, and fuck ignorant people who hurt precious lives (of every race and being). Rest in Peace HeeHaw, and I'm sorry humans failed you. You're loved now by thousands who will remember you forever.
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u/Narrow_Network_3875 17h ago edited 6h ago
This story reminds me of the Knick fan in LA whose dog was killed because the police was called for a welfare check after the owner screamed that the Knicks had won the Championship. The police tased the donkey before shooting it🤔. The police are probably Hee Haaw-in it up…. down at the police station 🤣👮👮♀️👮♂️
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u/Overall-Lynx917 13h ago
The incident will be investigated by the Police who will decide that;
"The Officer acted in accordance with their training and Departmental Procedures."
Then no further action will be taken
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u/Mjr_A-hole 13h ago
this is what happens when we send someone out after ~20 weeks of training instead of ~2-3 years of training (like most of Europe). Also in the USA we tend to hire former military thinking that they are simmilar jobs...they are not. This is why cops tend to feel that everyone not a cop is the enemy...
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u/North_Structure8210 12h ago
Yes. All pig cops are community terrorists. They should hang this cop for this. Are there laws still for killing livestock
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u/roxywalker 11h ago
At last check they still haven’t released the body cam footage. Let’s ponder why that is.
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u/Crows_reading_books 5h ago
If we're going to allow cops to claim literally everything scares them and so they should be allowed shoot anything that moves, then we should also be able to fire them as being unfit for service.
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u/Wowweeweewow88 2h ago
Please. Pleeeeeaaase. We can’t survive another harambe turn of events. It’s already soo bad everywhere 🤦♂️
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u/Gooser3000 1d ago
A lot of cops are just waiting for the day they can severely hurt or kill someone or something.
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u/bill-schick 1d ago
So idiots cops trespass past gates meant to keep donkeys and livestock in and then shoot the animals, what kind of idiots does the police chief hire in this town.
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u/Reasonable_Sense9096 1d ago
Yep, probably enjoyed doing it too. Get to joke with his buddies at the bar while on paid leave and he’ll be promoted within a year. I’m sorry HeeHaw :(
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u/WolfThick 1d ago
He doesn't have to worry if he gets fired he's already past the qualification to become an ice agent.
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u/DontEvenWithMe1 1d ago
There are ways to find out who the cop is and then there is community activity that rhymes with jigilante vustice that can prevent this from happening again. It’s okay to personally expedite the delivering of Karma to where it’s deserved. Just sayin’…
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u/the_m_o_a_k 23h ago
That's cops for you. A guy I played ball with in college became a cop and he shot a Corgi during a bust because it wouldn't stop barking at them. A Corgi.
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u/misalawliet 23h ago
They love doing this shit. They fantasize in the shower about doing this shit. It's why they sign up.
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u/Beneficial_Yam2827 22h ago
Cops invade private property without warrant/justification and kill innocent animal/person case #38725572
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u/Liveitup1999 22h ago
Too bad it wasn't a full grown angry bull in that pasture.
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u/StressFantastic5317 22h ago
Donkey killed by Honkey. Very sad. I hope jackass officer gets disciplinary action and departments sued.
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u/Maximum_Boros 21h ago
Cops literally get off on killing family pets. Any cop who tells you otherwise is a liar covering for his buds.
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u/Fancy_Day_2589 21h ago
He should sit in a jail cell for the next 10 years for excessive force, animal cruelty and and being a grade A ASSHOLE
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u/roam3D 20h ago
Yea nah, im waiting for the bodycam.
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u/Square-Librarian1192 17h ago
Its a baby donkey. Whats it gonna do, step on your shoes??
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u/Mor_Padraig 12h ago
It's.... it's terrifying to have 45 pound animals scuff up your boots.
Nightmare material.
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u/Independent_Bid_26 20h ago
See. This is why we hate the cops. They do shit like this, and then they go back to the station and laugh about the harm they caused. I grew up in a first responder household and honestly some of the shit I heard should put people in prison. Some of them really are just twisted deviants. They love the fact they have qualified immunity and the ability to harm people at will..
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u/Andurilmage 20h ago
One day some idiot with a badge and a gun is going to cross the wrong redneck with "deep roots in the area" and it's going to be on. Full on Hatfield and McCoy shit.
/Grabs popcorn
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u/dompipeinmi 20h ago
Paid leave im sure. If that prick keeps his job, he will be putting his coworkers at risk because people hate his coward ass so much.
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u/FrostnJack 19h ago
Paying salaries & pensions for terrorists & bullies. Everyone encounter is a threat to one’s safety & personhood.
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u/B_the_ball 18h ago
If a citizen commits a crime they put in handcuffs, if a cop commits a crime they get put on administrative leave.
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u/addacoupleextrazeros 17h ago
What the actual fuck?! Donkeys are basically the support animals for every other animal on the planet, they love everyone. I will never understand how human beings can be so cruel.
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u/el_salinho 17h ago
Maybe not the best thing to give guns and a license to kill to people who constantly feel threatened by anything.
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u/hundredBald 17h ago
Im sure it was paid leave too, I wish I could just be the worst person in the world and still get peoples tax money for vacations.
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u/FloridaHeat2023 11h ago
Cops LOVE recreationally killing innocent, defenseless creatures - it gives them such a thrill and feeds their psychotic personalities every time they do!
And of course the cop received an all expense paid vacation as a reward, aka paid administrative leave.
When will it end?
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u/KeyNefariousness6848 11h ago
If you’re threatened by an adorable baby donkey you’re the jackass. Too bad he will be picked up by the neighboring towns police force.
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u/Anonymousboneyard 11h ago
Had a gung-ho super tacticraper cop in my county shoot a pig that got stuck in a culvert. He shot it cuz he wanted to shoot his weapon on duty. This after the local farmers and neighbors with the county had a plan to remove the pig safely. The cop was there to block traffic for them. This cop is still on duty and regularly threatens tourists and locals alike. He intentionally tries to provoke people into talk back to him and he’s super disrespectful. He always tries to issue a ticket and then never shows up to court when it’s super flimsy. Yet the sheriff here keeps him around as her muscle it seems. Not really an acab guy but there are sure some rotten shit heads in policing these days.
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u/SendMeIttyBitties 10h ago
If you or me shot that donkey they would have our faces plastered everywhere by now. Not the cops...hide your own.
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u/GhostSiX1Nine 10h ago
Was the officer three years old and 3 feet tall? Because I can see how a toddler might feel threatened by a baby donkey.
My understanding is that the officer has been placed in daycare pending the outcome of the investigation.
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u/LogicallLunacy 6h ago
ACAB police officers need to be held personaly accountable. Taxes should not defend and protect them.
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u/bbyxmadi Community Regular 1d ago
Threatened by a donkey. They’re usually pretty docile animals, he was probably making a lot of noise, just alerting his owners about the strangers. Poor baby, rest in peace HeeHaw.