A heartless gang of thugs reportedly tortured and killed a duck with a catapult in broad daylight.
The horrifying incident took place on the River Medway in Maidstone, Kent, where bystanders watched in terror as a group of young boys targeted helpless birds.
Locals observed the ruthless youngsters, thought to be aged between 11 and 15, firing at a duck before kicking it and hurling it against a wall. Photos taken after the group had fled depict the lifeless duck floating in the river, while a pigeon was also targeted and found dead nearby.
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Disgusted locals are now demanding a ban on catapults following a series of incidents targeting animals across the county. Earlier this year in April, a family’s pet peacock was horrifically targeted and killed by another group of hooligans in Boughton Monchelsea in Kent.
(Image: SWNS)
Gemma, a local mother, was preparing to go kayaking with her partner and daughter on the River Medway when she spotted the eight boys targeting the duck. “To my horror, I saw these boys with catapults,” said the 41-year-old, originally from London.
“It was quite a distance, but I had my mouth open, thinking, ‘Oh my God, what am I seeing?'”
“This poor duck, it was flapping about. They held it by its feet while others fly-kicked it and threw it against the wall. I was so upset, how can you do this to a living creature?”
Gemma, a local resident, claimed that the birds are often perched on the walkway, making them ‘easy targets’ for yobs armed with catapults.
(Image: SWNS)
She promptly reported the incident to the police.
“They tortured them in front of everybody,” said the mother-of-two. “It was like they had tunnel vision they didn’t care who was around. Honestly, my first thought was, ‘I don’t want to be here anymore. I don’t want to live here’.”
Gemma later took to Facebook to post a warning.
Rachel Rodwell, a Green party councillor in Maidstone who resides by the River Medway, suspects that local wildlife has been targeted for years. She also mentioned that it’s not only wildlife that are victims of youths with catapults.
“As boaters, we are very worried,” she continued. “I’ve been hit by a catapult and my home has been stoned.”
A spokesperson for Kent Police said the force “were unable to locate any suspects.”
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