Neighbors say drive-by shooter targeting crows in Mountlake Terrace

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE, Wash. — A disturbing situation has surfaced in Mountlake Terrace, where someone in a neighborhood is killing crows.

Police say the person is shooting them, in some cases during the middle of the day.

“The community is really, really, upset about this and I’m afraid of vigilantism,” said neighbor Kel Denke. “I don’t want a stray bullet to find my kid!”

For Denke, the unsanctioned killing of crows has become a cause. She knows her neighbors are finding crows around Cedar Way Elementary and Matt Hirvela Bicentennial Park that were shot and killed.

“I know they’re only air pellets and all that (but) honestly, who does this? That’s the concerning thing. Who goes out and shoots a defenseless animal?” said Denke.

Surveillance video from last Sunday shows someone in a red truck drive up, stop, and then a dead crow falls from the sky. The driver then takes off.

Mountlake Terrace police are investigating and say the crow killings are against both local and state laws.

“We’ve had witnesses state that someone appears to be driving around in a red Ford pickup truck with a canopy that appears to be shooting at several of these crows,” said Mountlake Terrace police Cmdr. Pat Lowe.

Crow hunting season runs from September to December, but it cannot happen from a driver’s seat of a car at any time.

“Anytime someone shoots, whether it’s a pellet, bb gun or small caliber bullet within a city where there’s a lot of people around, someone could get injured or killed,” said Lowe.

The hope is to catch the crow killer before more are killed and before someone gets hurt.

“There just seems to be no regard for anyone else. I’m just afraid somebody’s going to get hurt,” said Denke.

Even though people in the neighborhood and surrounding areas are tracking and mapping where the dead crows are found, they’re also telling people if you see something or see someone trying to kill a crow, you should call 911.

Cox Media Group