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Authorities in Arizona have arrested 38-year-old Joseph Daniel Gibbons for the shooting and killing of 22 cattle worth more than $65,000. The arrest was made on November 20 following a lengthy investigation by the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office and the Arizona Department of Agriculture. The investigation began when a local cattle ranch discovered five deceased cattle with gunshot wounds in a pasture. Detectives, along with state Department of Agriculture investigators, served a search warrant at Gibbons’ home where numerous weapons believed to be involved in the livestock shooting were seized. A bullet taken from a deceased cow was confirmed to match a weapon seized from the residence.
Gibbons was later arrested on charges of two counts of animal cruelty and one count of killing of livestock. Authorities emphasized that Arizona is an open-range state, meaning the responsibility for keeping livestock off a property lies with the property owner and shooting the livestock to prevent trespassing is prohibited. The case highlights the importance of safeguarding the livelihood of ranchers and enforcing laws to protect livestock.
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Photo credit www.azfamily.com
