Shooting of turkey draws complaints
A state Division of Wildlife official said he had received several complaints about the wild turkey.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- It is time to talk turkey, residents say, after the shooting of a wild game bird by city police.
Mayor Hank Angelo said he received about a half-dozen calls from residents Tuesday, upset that a city police officer shot a wild turkey Monday afternoon on Beal Street N.W.
Patrol officer Doug Hipple, armed with a shotgun, killed the wild turkey after firing three shots at the bird. The carcass was given to an Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife official to dispose of, police said.
"I have talked to the police chief twice about this, and he is going to look into my concerns and call me back," Angelo said.
The mayor said residents want to know why the turkey had to be shot -- and why it was not captured and taken to a wooded area.
"Some of the residents there sort of adopted the bird and said they didn't believe the turkey bothered anyone," Angelo said.
Police account: Police said they went looking for the turkey Monday because they had received numerous complaints.
"What I was told is that this turkey was running after children," Police Chief John Mandopoulos said.
Brian Banbury, Ohio Division of Wildlife officer for Trumbull County, said he had received complaints about the turkey.
Banbury, who was not at the scene Monday, said a police officer called him to ask what he should do.
"I said that if the turkey could not be caught and they felt the turkey may harm a child, then it should be shot. I didn't want a child to be hurt," Banbury said.
Mandopoulos said his officers did try to capture the turkey Monday, but after they had no success, it was shot.
According to a police report, the turkey was shot in the 2700 block of Beal Street.
sinkovich@vindy.com