Mysterious horse stabbings in SC blamed on another animal after state investigation
Police are blaming wild boars for a rash of horse stabbing incidents along the North Carolina-South Carolina border.
A string of attacks in Greenville and Spartanburg counties in South Carolina and just over the border in North Carolina had many horse owners alarmed someone was going around injuring horses at night.
But “animal tracks consistent with hogs, video evidence and the sighting of boars in the area” suggested otherwise, investigators with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said in a news release Wednesday closing the investigation.
Fleet of Angels — a nonprofit focused on at-risk horses — first reported multiple troubling incidents with horses in early November, the Charlotte Observer reported.
The bulk of them occurred within 10 miles of Campobello, a town north of Greenville with just under 600 residents, according to census data. Some of the incidents happened in nearby Landrum and Gowensville.
Deb Messmer, an equine advocate from Gowensville who started collecting reports from locals, told McClatchy News on Wednesday there were 12 horse injuries or deaths by Nov. 19. Some of those incidents involved tampered gates, unexplained cuts and frantic stampeding through pasture fencing.
SLED’s investigation centered on five incidents over a four-week span, according to the release.
“We know they are doing their best but many of us would like the other concerns brought to law enforcement’s attention addressed,” Messmer said.
Officials mentioned only one other incident they are still investigating — a horse that was shot in Greenville County. The owners found the animal dead from several gunshot wounds Nov. 16, The State reported.
In a separate case a few weeks later, a mule was found shot outside his owner’s home, according to WYFF. “Gus” died at the University of Georgia Equine Center.
Owners Stephanie and Johnnie Brown have since started a GoFundMe page titled “Justice for the Horses” to raise money for a reward.
“Gus is another victim in a growing number of horses that have been shot, stabbed or poisoned in North and South Carolina,” the page description states. “I feel that someone has to know something, so I am wanting to offer a large reward in an effort to find the person(s) responsible for doing this.”
The page raised $766 of its $2,500 goal by Wednesday.
Messmer said she appreciates the information SLED has released but wants to know more — namely how law enforcement is collecting data on these incidents, how officials reached their conclusions and what will be done moving forward.
SLED did not mention its fact-finding process but said the State Department of Natural Resources and veterinarians helped in the investigation. Officials pointed to a marked uptick in the number of wild boars as a likely cause.
“The population of wild boars in the area has significantly increased in the last several years,” the agency said. Wildlife officials subsequently opened special hunting permits for going after wild hogs during the day and night.
Greenville County Sheriff Johnny Mack Brown said law enforcement will remain vigilant.
“I want to convey to our community members that our agency has and will continue to patrol these rural areas to ensure our citizens and their respective animals are safe and secure,” he said.
This story was originally published December 11, 2019 at 3:11 PM with the headline "Mysterious horse stabbings in SC blamed on another animal after state investigation."
