Police charge 2 men with break-in at Columbus Zoo

COLUMBUS (AP) — Officials at the Columbus Zoo say two men have been charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct after a zoo employee saw them walking through the facility after midnight.

Zoo officials say 21-year-old Kyle Pierce and 18-year-old Sir Jaredd Branner were arrested after an employee spotted them at about 1:15 a.m. today. She notified security when they ignored her calls.

Zoo officials say the animals were unharmed and there is no property damage. They also say Pierce has worked as a seasonal zoo employee.

The Delaware County Sheriff’s Department helped search for the men, which included multiple officers and a helicopter. They determined the men squeezed through a facility gate.

The Columbus Zoo is home to more than 9,000 animals and hosts more than two million visitors a year.