Early on Sunday, November 2, a woman in Heidelberg, Mississippi, shot and killed a monkey that had escaped from a semi truck crash on Interstate 59 the previous week.
What happened: The semi, hauling 21 research monkeys, overturned near Heidelberg on October 28, sending several monkeys loose along the highway.
- Thirteen monkeys were immediately accounted for and delivered safely to their destination.
- During the search, five monkeys were killed, and three remained missing until this incident.
- The monkeys were rhesus macaques, known for being aggressive in nature.
The homeowner's actions: Jessica Bond Ferguson said her 16-year-old son spotted a monkey in their yard. She called the police, grabbed her firearm, and found the animal about 60 feet away. Fearing for her kids' safety, she fired two shots, killing the monkey.
- Ferguson told local news, “I did what any other mother would do to protect her children.”
- She said she had been warned the monkeys might be carrying diseases, though officials later confirmed the animals were not infectious.
Aftermath: The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks took possession of the monkey's remains.
Video from the crash scene last week showed crates scattered on the roadside, with monkeys moving through the tall grass, according to KETV.
The search for the remaining missing monkeys is still ongoing. The cause of the truck crash is under investigation by state authorities.