‘Aggressive’ Bull Shot Dead By Police For Attacking, Injuring Owner

A “highly aggressive” bull had to be put down by New Jersey authorities after it attacked its owner, sending the woman to the hospital, Friday.

Officers were dispatched to Houses Corner Road, Sparta, after they received multiple calls about a “cow” seen wandering along the roadway around 3 p.m. EDT and approaching vehicles that passed by the area. On their way to check out the reports, the police received further information about the animal after they reached out to its owner – a woman named Wendy McDermott.

McDermott told the police that the animal was actually a bull, which had started acting in an oddly aggressive manner that day. She further told the authorities that she was going to try and coax the beast back into its pen by enticing it with food.

McDermott was initially successful in implementing her plan and making the bull follow her up the gravel road toward the farm. However, when the officers arrived at the scene, they found the bull bumping against its owner’s vehicle and attempting to mount it. "It actually mounted the hood with his front legs," Sparta police Lieutenant John Lamon said, ABC7 reported. "The bull was probably 1,100, 1,200 pounds."

Once the owner managed to lead the animal back into the farm, she exited the vehicle and tried to get the bull back into its pen. That was when the raging beast suddenly turned on her, throwing her on the ground. Officer Arlene Lippencott, who was part of the team that responded to the incident, said McDermott would have been gored to death if the officers had not intervened.

As Lippencott tried to distract the bull so that she could get McDermott into one of the patrol cars, the latter started screaming to the officers to shoot the animal. By this time back-up patrol cars as well as emergency service vehicles arrived at the scene, and the bull started attacking a patrol vehicle. Two of the officers at the scene opened fire at the bull, killing it. “The bull started charging at our sergeant's car, and one of our officers had to put the bull down. She was screaming that the bull needs to be shot,” Lieutenant Lamon said.

McDermott suffered injuries to her head as well as lacerations and bruising to her upper body from the bull's attack. She was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to the Newton Memorial Hospital for further treatment. She said her husband was also recently attacked by the bull and had suffered minor injuries.

However, one of the neighbors, who wished to remain anonymous, told the outlet that while the bull had started approaching vehicles after breaking free of its enclosure Friday, it did not demonstrate a violent behavior. "I saw this young bull, and many cars pulled over were trying to protect him," the neighbor said. "He was very calm. People were petting him on his head...I had cereal in my car, believe it or not, and I fed him out of the passenger side window."