Here’s the story, no bull.
Or maybe, at the risk of seeming too flippant, that comma should be a colon.
The way the police tell it, for several hours Monday, chaos reigned in Grosse Ile as a raging bull, weighing at least 500 pounds, terrorized the small island, running through yards, onto patios and across roadways, until it was shot and killed.
Police said six police department officers, two animal control officers, a local vet and several firefighters and residents pursued it for seven hours. In addition, the wild chase drew a crowd, which made the situation even worse. And, despite pleas to other law enforcement for backup, no one came.
In polite police-speak, authorities released a six-paragraph statement Wednesday, explaining that “it was determined that in the best interest of the public, the bull would be euthanized, and once it moved into a safe area, a member of the police department was able to safely put the animal down.”
The news, however, has sparked questions and concern at watercoolers, over backyard fences, and, perhaps, most visibly on social media: What was a bull doing on the island in the Detroit River? And why did police have to kill the animal, instead of tranquilize it?
Speculation abounds.
And, as of Thursday morning, police told the Free Press no officials were available to to discuss the incident.
The police statement noted a Grosse Ile officer “observed the bull running though a residential neighborhood in the vacinity of Lowrie and Ferry” at 12:42 p.m. Monday, and “the large animal” was “being pursued on foot by its owner.”
Authorities tried to “contain the animal,” using fencing and ropes. But, in doing so, an animal control officer was hurt. The police did not detail what medical care was required or how the officer was injured, but noted that it was “minor.”
The bull, police said, was showing “unpredictable behaviors, was exposed to children” — or rather it likely meant that children were exposed to the bull — “motorists and domesticated animals” as it meandered about, and “as the situation drew attention, more residents came to the area on foot and in vehicles.”
This, police said, only increased “the risk of harm to the public” and reduced the ability “to contain the animal.”
The statement said “a request for help was made to every law enforcement agency in Wayne County, the DNR and a Macomb County Shelter.” However, the local police said in its news release, “no additional resources could be provided.”
At that point, police said, the owner “indicated that the bill could not be controlled and gave permission to dispatch the animal.”
Online, residents and others, have been second-guessing and defending police, as well as asking about how the bull got to the island, and speculating that it was scared. One person remarked that it was a “sad situation” but “the best thing to do for everyone,” while another thought the bull’s life could have been spared, if only it had been tranquilized.
Grosse Ile Police said it is investigating the incident in coordination with the Michigan Department of Agriculture.