Escaped bull fatally shot after causing 3-vehicle wreck on I-495, charging at officers, police say

RAYNHAM, Mass. — A 1,300-pound bull charged at police, prompting a rifle-wielding officer to open fire on the animal after it broke loose from a farm and caused a car wreck on Interstate 495 in Raynham on Monday morning, authorities said.

Officers responding to multiple 911 calls for a large black bull running down Jennings Drive near Elm Street East around 9 a.m. learned the bull had gotten loose while Mathieu Farms workers were trying to load it onto a truck for transport to a slaughterhouse, according to the Raynham Police Department.

“The bull became enraged and escaped. The bull ran through multiple fences, including electrified fences, and jumped over a six-foot-tall berm to escape,” the department wrote in a statement.

The “highly aggressive” bull ran onto I-495 a short time later and caused a crash involving three vehicles, according to police. One driver was taken to a local hospital.

Police said the bull then fled into the woods of Elm Street East and ran into Lake Nippenicket near a Raynham Water District building. After swimming in the water for a short time, officers and farm staff were finally able to surround the bull.

“Upon seeing the officers, the bull quickly and aggressively swam toward the group on shore, prompting a Raynham Police officer to discharge his department-issued rifle. The shots were ineffective at stopping the animal, and the bull got out of the water and began to charge at those on shore,” the department stated. “To avoid being injured by the charging bull, the officer fired several more rifle shots and struck the bull in the leg, disabling it and preventing further injury.”

The owner of the farm where the bull escaped from, a legal gun owner, ultimately stepped in and used his hunting rifle to euthanize the bull because the officer’s weapon wasn’t powerful enough, according to police.

“I want to commend our brave officers who put themselves in harm’s way to make sure that a bad situation did not get worse,” Raynham Police Chief David LaPlante said. “Facing a charging 1,300-pound bull is not something you go into your shift thinking is going to happen, but our officers were able to respond and effectively handle the situation and prevent further injury and destruction.”

Several other local agencies, as well as state police troopers, assisted Raynham police in responding to the incident.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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