FORT MYERS, FL (LOOTPRESS) – A Florida man has been arrested after allegedly shooting his neighbor’s calf five times when it wandered onto his property, prompting outrage from the local agricultural community.
The incident occurred on May 13 in the Sharon Drive area of North Fort Myers. According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies with the Agriculture Unit responded to a report of suspected animal cruelty from a nearby ranch. Upon arrival, they discovered a 2-year-old calf suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the abdomen, chest, and rear leg.
Due to the severity of the injuries, a veterinarian was forced to euthanize the animal.
Investigators quickly identified 54-year-old Hung Trinh as the suspect. The calf’s owner informed deputies that Trinh had previously expressed anger over livestock wandering onto his property and had made threats to shoot any animals that crossed the fence.
Following a search warrant, detectives located a .22 caliber firearm inside a shed on Trinh’s property, believed to be the weapon used in the shooting.
“There will be accountability for taking your frustrations out on innocent animals,” said Sheriff Carmine Marceno. “In this case, that means multiple felonies and jail time. We know how much these animals mean to our farming community, and we will not tolerate these actions.”
Trinh is facing charges of animal cruelty and grand theft of a commercial farm animal. The investigation remains ongoing.
