On Tuesday, November 26, police in Ronks, Lancaster County reported that the previous night, a horse pulling an Amish buggy was shot by someone in a passing vehicle. According to the officials, the 5 passengers heard a loud noise described as sounding like a firecracker as a car passed them. The car did not stop.
An Amish horse-pulled buggy
According to officials, passengers in an Amish buggy heard a loud noise described as sounding like a firecracker and when they arrived back home, the farmer noticed that the horse was bleeding from the mouth.
When the buggy arrived home at a farm approximately one mile away, the farmer noticed that the horse was bleeding from the mouth. A veterinarian was called, but the horse died before the vet arrived.
A bullet hole was discovered on the left side of the horse’s chest area. None of the buggy passengers were injured.
According to Lieutenant Robin Weaver of the local police department, Amish citizens are sometimes harassed by people because of their ways of life and because of their belief in pacifism. He noted that it is not uncommon for passing motorists to throw firecrackers, eggs, or other food at them.
Weaver said he could not recall a similar incident in 30 years of law enforcement. Police are investigating and plan to conduct a necropsy on the animal in hopes of recovering the bullet.