A New York City police officer has been placed on modified duty after fatally shooting a raccoon at Rockaway Beach, officials said. The incident is under review.
The shooting happened Thursday morning after a 911 caller reported a potentially dangerous animal, according to a police department spokesperson. Officers responded and attempted to guide the raccoon away from the area to a safer location. Police said the animal then charged toward people in what they described as an aggressive manner, prompting one officer to fire his weapon, the Associated Press reported.
Body camera footage later published by the Daily News appears to show the raccoon walking slowly onto the sand near the boardwalk, with no group of people visible nearby at the time. After the initial shot, another officer’s bodycam captured an audible sigh. The raccoon then moved away, and the first officer, identified as Nicholas Henry, fired two additional shots.
The NYPD’s Force Investigation Division, which reviews incidents involving the discharge of an officer’s firearm, is conducting the investigation. As of Monday, it was unclear whether the raccoon would be tested for rabies.