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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas & Estel Farell-Roig

Horror as camel kills two after breaking free from zoo enclosure and launching at visitors

Two people have died after a camel managed to break free from its enclosure in a zoo and went on a rampage.

Officers were called to the shocking incident on Thursday after reports that a camel had got loose and was attacking visitors at a petting zoo in Tennessee in the United States.

A statement from Obion County Sheriff’s Office said several agencies arrived to try and control the situation by making people leave the area, with two people - Bobby Matheny, 42, and Tommy Gunn, 67 - requiring first aid after they were found unconscious.

However, they had to stop when the camel began launching itself at a sheriff's car.

The camel managed to break free from its enclosure (Pumpkin Barn LLC/ Facebook)

It then bolted towards the officers who were attending to the victims, reports the Daily Star.

The camel was then quickly put down for the "safety" of everyone on the site at Shirley Farms in Obion.

The two men were sadly pronounced dead at the scene after reportedly being "stomped" to death by the humped mammal.

A witness told News Channel 5 that Mr Matheny and Mr Gunn were trying to capture the camel when the animal "cornered" them and began a sudden attack, fatally throwing them to the ground.

A heartfelt tribute posted on Facebook by Autumn Staggs, an ex-colleague of Mr Matheny, read: "Five years of knowing you, five years of always counting on you, five years of you never failing to be a good coworker and friend but this hurts man.

"I pray you’re singing with the angels right now because so many are hurting tonight over your departure from earth."

Bobby Matheny (pictured) was killed by the loose camel (Facebook)
The incident happened at the Shirley Farms in Obion, Tennessee. (Pumpkin Barn LLC/ Facebook)

A camel expert speaking after the attack warned that the animals have "enough strength to crush arms and legs along with your neck" as they are able to kick forward as well as backwards, unless most animals.

He additionally advised that, if in a perilous situation, camels can do a "combination of all those things while kneeling forward to crush you".

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