Cops Shoot Massive 15-Foot Snake Twisted Around Neck Of Man Having Cardiac Arrest

Fogelsville, Pennsylvania -- Police in Pennsylvania shot a 15-foot pet snake that was coiled around a man’s neck while he suffered a cardiac arrest.

Two officers from the Upper Macungie Township police department arrived at the house in Fogelsville after receiving an unusual call about the snake.

Responding officers arrived and were led by family members to the 28-year-old victim, lying unrepsonsive on the floor “kind of half in the hallway, half in a bedroom,” Lt Peter Nickischer with the Upper Macungie Township Police Department told The Guardian.

"The snake at that point is still wrapped around the neck of the victim," he added.

It was the midportion of the large snake that was coiled around the man’s neck. Officers took a shot as the reptile's head was away from the victim.

"The officer kind peeks around the edge of the doorway and quite literally, the snake is looking at him," Lt. Nickischer went on to say. "At that point, the officer had to make a split second decision and luckily, because of the distance between the victim and the head of the snake, the officer was able to fire one shot that injured the reptile. It kind of slithered away and in the process, it’s releasing its grip on the victim."

Lt. Nickischer said the reptile did not die instantly.

"It wasn't like it just died," Lt. Nickischer told ABC7NY. "It started to slither away, luckily away from the officers, away from the direction that they were trying to pull this gentleman. They realized it was a matter of life and death with seconds to make that decision. Praise the officers. They did what they had to do. It was a safe shoot."

The victim was taken to the hospital. Details about his condition were not revealed.

The neighbors said they have seen a number of snakes through the window of the house on several occasions. They have also often seen the man holding a snake in the front yard.

Lt. Nickischer said it was a first-of-its-kind call that they responded to.

"I think one of the officers described it as a scene from a horror movie, and that's probably the most appropriate way to describe it," Lt. Nickischer told the outlet.