Four cases where cows were shot or killed are connected, investigators say
Sheriff Javier Salazar is urging everyone in the two areas where these attacks occurred to report any suspicious activity involving gunfire.
BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – New information has just been released into four animal cruelty cases in Bexar County.
Sheriff Javier Salazar now says all four recent cases involving shot or killed cows in east and southeast Bexar County have been positively linked by physical evidence.
“While each of these cases, taken by itself, is certainly quite concerning, the two we were working on, but now that it’s four, we see a clear pattern of behavior that is very, very concerning,” Salazar said.
Salazar said one of his biggest concerns is that animal cruelty cases are often linked to crimes against people.
“Some might say ‘Well, they’re just cows! At least it wasn’t a person! But the fact is, as far as animal cruelty cases go, there is a definitive and undeniable link between animal cruelty and domestic violence, animal cruelty and human trafficking, too, some might say this is more of a stretch, but even as it pertains to the study of serial killers, animal cruelty is a common thread running through many of those cases, as far as those who they show no respect for human life,” Salazar said.
In the four attacks, Salazar said he believed about 70 shots were fired from a pistol-caliber weapon.
“At this point we will take any information anyone wants to share with us,” he said. “If they find any other shell casings that may not be pistol caliber bullets, we’d still want to know about it, especially within that area.”
“My fear, to be honest, is that they might get bored with that kind of business and graduate to people and so we’d like to get these people behind bars, where they belong, sooner rather than later,” Salazar said emphatically.
Two cows were killed in the small town of St Hedwig on 25 April.
The first case was reported during the early morning hours when a farmer found one of his dead cows on FM 1346.
Surveillance video from that attack shows dark images of a vehicle hurtling down the street firing shots indiscriminately.
Salazar agrees that the firing rate sounds like a fully automatic weapon.
RELATED: Attack with killing of cows caught on surveillance camera
When word of that attack spread, another farmer near Jung Lane went to check on his herd and found that he had also lost a cow.
Five cows were killed in mid-April in southeastern Bexar County. Three of those animals have died and two remain under the care of a veterinarian.
In the 11000 Stuart Road block four animals were attacked on 12 April leaving one dead, one needing to be euthanized and two still recovering.
In block 9000 of Elmendorf in La Vernia, another cow was killed on 13 April.
RELATED: Investigators looking for people shooting and killing cows in Bexar County
Salazar said now that all the cases are conclusively linked, they are urging anyone in the two areas where these attacks occurred to call out any suspicious activity involving shooting, which can be common in rural areas.
“People hear gunshots and say oh it’s dove season or something, but I can safely say at this point we should never take gunshots for granted. Even if you live in a semi-rural or rural area, call her anytime you hear gunshots. We can’t afford to take that for granted and say there’s nothing we can do,” Salazar said.
There are two prizes offered for information of up to $10,000 for clues leading to an arrest.
“This case has been linked to Crime Stoppers and there is at least one outside organization that has been kicking a cash reward,” Salazar said. “We currently have up to $10,000 in reward money. It certainly isn’t a small change. But it’s important that this case be resolved sooner rather than later.”
210-224-STOP is the number of Crime Stoppers. The non-emergency line for the Bexar County Sheriff is 210-335-6000.
