Seventeen wild horses were shot and killed in B.C.’s Interior, say the RCMP, and the incident is now under investigation.
According to police, Tk’emlups Rural RCMP received a report of several horses killed on Crown land around an hour west of Kamloops, near the community of Walhachin.
“Investigators were led to the specific location, where it was confirmed 17 horses had recently been shot,” police said on Tuesday.
“They appeared to be from a herd of feral (wild) horses which frequent this area.”
RCMP say its forensic identification section carefully examined the scene, along with a veterinarian and an RCMP livestock investigator.
“The motive behind this disheartening act cannot be confirmed at this point,” said police. “However, investigators will continue to collect and examine everything available.”
Police added that it’s acknowledged that these horses are of cultural significance to the local Skeetchestn Band.
If you have any information regarding this, you’re asked to contact the RCMP at 250-299-7462.