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Confession In Shooting Of Donkey
May 4, 2009
A 17-year old while male juvenile from Cantonment has confessed to the weekend shooting of a donkey off Jacks Branch Road, and his arrest is expected soon.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department says the juvenile will be charged with cruelty to animals causing death, using a weapon during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a person under 18.
The arrest of the juvenile is pending, according to Sgt. Rick Vincent, once warrants are issued by the judge reviewing the case. A .22 caliber firearm used in the incident was provided to deputies by a witness.
About the time J.B. was born, his mother was shot and killed by a passerby in the area of 901 River Annex Road. Now J.B. will rely on someone to bottle feed him once per hour as he fights for survival.
It’s the sad beginning of life for J.B., a donkey born late Saturday night or Sunday morning in a pasture on Jacks Branch Road near Cantonment.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the shooting death of the young donkey’s mother. Neighbors heard the gunfire before midnight and the mother donkey was found dead. Little J.B. was next to his mother, just minutes old.
It’s not clear if J.B. was born just before or just after his mother’s death. Authorities say the donkey was not shot by her owner, but rather by someone in a vehicle on Jacks Branch Road.
Deputies located and stopped a vehicle in the area following the incident. They were unable to locate a firearm in the vehicle and were not able to make an arrest at the time, according to deputies. One of the two juveniles in the vehicle is the person now facing charges in the incident.
As for little J.B., he is now in the care of Panhandle Equine Rescue. When NorthEscambia.com visited J.B. Sunday afternoon, the less than one day old donkey had just been placed in a stall at PER in Molino. J.B. stumbled around the fresh pine shavings in the stall, still slightly sedated from a trip to the vet. He has an IV needle still in his neck.
J.B. brayed weakly, calling the mother that he will never have. He wondered around the stall, looking for her and a warm meal. Instead, the baby donkey will be fed hourly from a bottle by a PER volunteer.
Diane Lowery, PER president, tells us that the next week will be a tough one for J.B., named that for Jacks Branch where he was born. Survival will be tough for the little guy.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff Department at 436-9620.
Panhandle Equine Rescue’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and provide adoption services for abused, neglected and abandoned equines. PER is authorized by the Escambia County court system to investigate equine reports in the county.
Donations are being accepted to help pay the vet bill or anyone interested in sponsoring J.B.. Checks or money orders can be sent to PER, P.O. Box 777, Cantonment, FL 32533 or you can visit www.panhandleequinerescue.org for more information.
Pictured above: Baby donkey J.B., less than 24 hours old, is fighting for survival after the shooting death of his mother Sunday morning. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photo, click to enlarge. Pictured below: J.B. looks for his mother.
Comments
33 Responses to “Confession In Shooting Of Donkey”
Quit blaming parents and blame the society and laws, that prevent parents from using the right kind of dicipline, like in to good ole days. If parents were not afraid to really dicipline their kids, maybe we would have alot of better behaved teenagers. I believe that this teen should spend some time in jail so he will have time to sit and think about what he has done.
Was the 17 year old playing around in the woods with a gun? and happen to shoot the donkey? My child was playing in our front yard one day and was almost shot in the head by a neighbor, the neighbor was shooting at cats- four houses down the street. Sounds like the teenager has a history of bad events that he’s been involved in but it MAY have been an accident. I want to know who the other teenager was that was with him when the cops searched the vehicle.
I can’t believe this is going on! I can’t even describe how much it hurts my heart to even think of it. What is wrong with that BOY?
I too feel that this is an act of hatered and he should be well punished, however, so many of you are wanting to blame the parents. I have teenagers and have done the best I can in raising them as smart and law abiding citizens, but I still have issues with them. Blame should be put on the laws of today, preventing a parent from diciplining the way it was done in the old days. Society also has alot to do with these problems. I am sure that everyone that is commenting on how it is the parents fault that this teenager has commited such a crime have raised or are raising perfect angels as kids.
I tend to agree with Rodney. He doesn’t need to be involved with the actual care of animals, since he’s obviously likely to hurt them, but he SHOULD be forced to do all the grunt work at the place that is now taking care of JB. Make him shovel manure, clean troughs, build and repair fences and every other hard or nasty job they can think of. Work him until he’s too tired to even think about doing anything else like this. Work him until all he can do is go home and fall into the bed each night.
Make him go to schools and give talks to the kids about doing stupid things like this. Make him go through counseling and anger management and whatever else they can think of. Make him undergo regular drug and alcohol testing. Find out what is going on in this kid’s mind and FIX IT!!! Don’t just leave him out there to do it again and again. A donkey this time, what’s next? A kid?
I want to know where he got the gun. Isn’t it illegal in Florida for him to have one in his possession without adult supervision?
If his mom is enabling him, then she should have to help too. If his big brother is also a thug, make him help too. Put the whole family to work. I don’t care. If the rest of his family is honestly trying to raise him right and he just isn’t responsive, then no, they don’t deserve to be punished for his stupidity and callousness.
What is bad is this piece of trash will just get a slap on the wrist because he is a juvenile. Then his record will be expunged when he becomes an adult. Then he can start over. I bet this is not his first run in with the law. He will do something one day and end up in prison but who knows how many will be hurt before he goes there.
That is just uncalled for. How heartless can one person be? He should be locked up for life, away from guns. If he can be so cold hearted to kill an innocent animal, what makes me think he wouldn’t do it to a human. Where was his mother the whole time he was growing up…why didn’t she teach him right from wrong! I think that the person that did this should have to stay up around the clock feeding and taking care of a motherless donkey, well supervised of course and when the donkey is old enough to care for himself then the boy needs to go to jail!!!
I am so glad that J.B is in a loving home right now and I pray for the lady and PER that is taking care of him and feeding him around the clock. I pray that God continues to give her strength and J.B grows strong and healthy.
I know the juvenile who shot the donkey….he is a thug, and his older brother brother is a bigger thug……………..and their mother is the biggest enabler in the county……always protecting them wonder why they are criminals
If this turns out to be a person I think…..I hope his mother finally does something with this son of hers. He steals, lies, and cheats his way through life. She has had to put dead bolt locks all around her house to keep him from stealing. He is always quick to blame others and thinks it’s everyone else’s fault for the way he is. His mother isn’t a person who needs to be raising any children either.
For the ONE person on here who believes that someone using a gun in a DEADLY and dangerous way should be given another chance because he is young….you act like you either know this guy or have been in his position before. I can’t figure out why else you would not agree with everyone else. It’s plain and simple. People that commit crimes like this make it hard on everyone else.
He has no regard for anyone. People like him steal things, and misuse things. People like him are the reason I have to go through the trouble of locking all four doors of my barn. Also the reason I have a surveillance system (that was expensive). Also the reason I can’t go to Wal-mart in the middle of the night to get cold medicine when my children are sick (because I now have to sign for them and show my I.D.) Also the reason I can’t send my daughter in the store to buy superglue, white out, paint, etc. because she is under 18. These are just a few examples of things that make my life complicated because of people like him. Every time a crime is committed, it takes our freedom away by putting new laws, rules, regulations in place. I really like what “There is no excuse” said. Right on!!
My concern is how the juvenile got a gun in the first place and what, or shall I say who, is next? Criminal behavior starts somewhere. Murders don’t become murders over night.
That’s why this young person should be prosecuted, so the next time someone thinks it is funny to be cruel to an animal that they will think twice.
I hope J.B. makes it. He is such a cute little guy!
This guy needs to pay for wat he did!! It’s amazing wat people will to for “FUN”.
This hits home for me as my beloved pet donkey was shot and killed off of Hwy 97 a couple years ago and the heartless poor excuse of a person was never caught. I’m just pondering what might have happened had the owner been present, assisting with the birth at the time this idiot decided to shoot a living being for fun? Geeez…#!!!**I don’t see the need for a person capable of such careless disregard. If a person will shoot an animal for fun then they have something missing upstairs. Where did their empathy, compassion, guilt, and shame go? A person like this endangers each and every one of us. Make no mistake, when he took aim and shot his weapon at a living being “for fun,” he knew it was wrong. Some people never take responsibility for their own actions. It’s always someone else’s fault, mistreated growing up, blah, blah, blah… quit using it as a crutch. Everyone’s had their own growing conflicts and we aren’t killing each other or vulnerable animals for fun. This thug needs something productive to do besides cruel and appalling transgression. I hope they make an example of him!!! He obviously thought himself an adult when he chose to handle the gun. Let him serve time; don’t just slap him on the wrist. Maybe others will think twice before causing merciless casualties. Animals depend on us to be compassionate and civilized. Thank you Panhandle Equine Rescue for your endeavors in caring for animals like this. Escambia County is fortunate to have your organization. Keep up the good work.
You gals/guys are right. Treat him as he’s a fully grown Michael Vick. Throw him in jail for a year and make him file bankruptsy.
Oh and sorry I’m not a pet/animal person. Although I’m sure the owner is outraged as I think anyone would. I 100% agree this dude should be punished but he’s still only & obviously a young, dumb 17yr old. Still got to give him a chance & it seems like everyone wants to fry this dude. At least he has confessed showing some responsibility.
Just a quick reply…
I apologize… I’m sorry if I was misunderstood about the stones part. I wasn’t blaming anyone who commented, as I felt all were concerned. Just thinking particularly about the responsibilities of us as parents… it is apparent by keeping up with the news that many things are getting out of control, and it’s alarming and a wake-up call. I believe there should definitely be an accounting when youngsters do wrong, especially if they are not sorry- how else will their behavior be corrected? and the parents need to accept their own part in it . But even at that it is a challenging task to raise kids and sometimes with the best efforts of their parents, the children will make wrong choices. At a time like this, I feel a certain sadness for everyone involved.
I think that this person who did this needs to feed at there expense and take of this donky 24/7 and for aleast a year and when this donky is satisfied then they can eat. After this then they need to serve time for his wrongs ( in a orange suit).
omg,that is such a shame,i hope this poor lil donkey makes it through! i hope someone turns this person in who did the damage to him and it’s mom…
To the person who asked how some of us would feel if this was the son of our friend from church. Well, I wouldn’t care if it was the preacher’s son! Whoever did this needs to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Nobody wished anyone to Hell. I only said there is a special place in Hell for people who prey on the innocent. I grew up being taught that and that’s what I believe. And no, God doesn’t forgive all sins. He only forgives the sins of people who ask Him to forgive them and they have to sincerely mean it and try not to do it again. Just because someone is forigven, doesn’t mean that they don’t have to accept the punishment. And nobody is throwing stones here. It’s just that most people know that shooting a donkey is wrong!! Most of us are wise enough to discern that.
The shooter shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near this donkey or any other animal. It’s a shame his parents didn’t have better control of their son’s behavior.
This is VERY unfortunate all around and a sign of our times. The perpetrator could have been hyped on some substance or have had a little too much to drink… today’s kids seem to be able to lay their hands on these things with ease. It probably was a sudden, impulsive act by someone who had no business to be driving around with a gun. (I’m not advocating gun control, just some supervision and common sense.)
I deplore things like this, I’m very soft hearted about animals. But still… I don’t know the age of this shooter, but my concern is about the lack of guidance for some of these kids. When I think of how some young children get by with acting in the stores, I feel this is nothing to what will be coming in the future. For all of us onlookers, the one who is without sin should cast the first stone, myself included.
This is terrible, I do realize Parents can not control there children 24/7, but apprently a parent taught him how to shoot. I am Pro gun. But like anything responsabilty is on this young man, and his family. The most untrue statment is what some one does, does not afftcect the parent or the family, In saying this, I think the young man should be proscuted , And I think the Family should be responsible for the Finacial up keep of this Poor baby donkey at least until it is weaned, supplying with Money to give proper care, Meds, Necessary Vet checks, and the milk replacer , Goat milk or Cow milk what ever is needed to help this poor donkey grow, And The young man in lou of Jail time , why a vactaion ? should be subjected to X amount of time , Cleaning Barns and sinking fence post such things for the assocaition that is helping this poor baby, Teaching the valuable lesson of hard work and what us livestock owners go through.
Or some kind of volunter work, hard work would make him a better person
Life is about decesions, good or bad, you reap the benfits when you make good decesions, and you should reap the punsihement for the bad decesions
And as far as him taking care of the baby donkey , bad Idea, He appears to lack the charcter for good judgment, until he learns better he should not own any animal..
This is just horrifing to see!! I feel so bad for that poor little donkey. He is a beauitful creature and someone had to shoot him. What a shame!
I am just curious how Chris feels towards the owner of the murdered donkey since he seems to be so worried about the 17 year old and his family. If this was my buddy or anyone in my family I would pray that they got exactly what they deserved. This is a beautiful animal who did not deserve this.
Kids just don’t seem to have respect for the value of life. It is as if they do not understand the validity of it. I have 3 young boys myself and I pray that I never find myself dealing with a situation like this. I hope the young man realizes the error of his ways and finds constructive things to do with his time.
Chris wrote: How are you going to feel when thats your buddy from church’s son who done this?
I don’t care if it was my brother, father, uncle or son…… they should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and have to wear a sign “I orphaned a innocent donkey because I am an idiot and don’t understand actions have consequences”
The karma created and set in motion by that evil punk with a gun will eventually destroy him. It’s up to society and the courts to decide whether he’s permitted to create more bad karma, and victims, before he’s locked down for good. But little J.B. deserves a fair chance, which he couldn’t possibly hope to get by subjecting him to some sick social punishment experiment in the hands of his mother’s killer. Thank God for angels like Lindley who are willing to suffer long sleepless nights for the sake of a single innocent creature.
Making the boy raise the donkey is only going to ensure that the donkey has a miserable life since the boy obviously didn’t want it to live in the first place. That was kind of stupid.
If the boy who did this should happen to belong to “one of my buddies from church”, I will still feel the same way about him that I do at this moment: absolutely sickened by his cruelty and thoughtlessness. Whether he is a churchgoer or not has no bearing on what an atrocious thing he did.
God forgives all………………we humans have a much harder time with it.
Freaking please…. Ya’ll got some nice comments (what is this the PNJ comment section). How are you going to feel when thats your buddy from church’s son who done this? Better yet how do you think his family feels about this? Why does this person have to be wished to hell? I think there’s a place in hell for people that wish other people would go to hell…
ANYWAYS,
I think a good punishment for this kid is to make him raise the donkey for a year. If the donkey dies then give him further punishment.
There is a special place in Hell for people who prey on the innocent.
When someone doesn’t respect life be it animal or human, I too hope that Karma gets em. What sort of cold black heart would do such a thing. Whether they know it or not, they will answer here to man’s law or to our all powerful God when this person’s life here on this earth is over. Pray for whoever did this to come clean and ask for help, pray for this little fella to survive and remind us all to be KINDER to one another.
This is so very sad. I do hope they catch whoever is responsible for this horrible act and that they are punished to the fullest extent of the law. Thank goodness for PER and all the great work they do.
People have NO Conscience if they can do something like this. They don’t think about the consequences of their actions. The Golden Rule applies to animals and all God’s creatures. The Lord will take care of this animal and to the ones that did this.
I think it is sad that someone could be so cruel. This was just a random act of violence and there was no need for it. If these people could be so mean to a harmless animal, I can’t even begin to imagine how mean they would be to an innocent child. Whoever did this is just a bully who picks on people that are weaker than they are; all in a vain attempt to feel better about themselves. I hope they get what’s coming to them. It’s called Karma…….what goes around comes around. Hopefully, sooner than they think…….
Look at this beautiful animal! It’s very sad that J.B. will have to fight so hard to stay alive. The person or persons that are responsible for killing J.B.’s mother should be ashamed of their self. I so hope this little fellow makes it.