Cops hunt for masked gunman who fatally shot four horses at close range in separate attacks at Cowboy Trail Rides Family Stables in Las Vegas: Suspect says he doesn’t believe horses should be in the area
- The suspect killed four horses at Cowboy Trails Stables in the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area
- Man confronted ranch manager destroying trails in January because he didn’t think horses should be on the ground
- Video of the suspect shows him holding a gun, wearing a ski mask and headphones to hide his identity
- Police believe he is armed and dangerous and are asking the public to come forward with any information
- The Friends of Red Rock Canyon group is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest
Over the past seven months, a masked gunman has shot four horses “at close range” in separate incidents at a dude ranch near Las Vegas.
In the latest July 4 attack, the suspect was captured on surveillance video sneaking onto the property of the family-owned Cowboy Trail Rides Stables in the Red Rock National Wildlife Refuge just minutes from Sin City’s main strip.
“You have to be a sick man to shoot a horse in a paddock,” ranch manager Michael Flood told Fox 5 in Las Vegas after the mule was killed in January.
The Friends of Red Rock Canyon group is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest
He said he confronted a man who sabotaged the tracks because the stranger did not approve of the business.
“We had a guy who was destroying our own lanes,” Flood told the broadcaster. “He put stones on top of horse manure and sprinkled Ajax on the path and said he didn’t believe horses should be here.”
Someone tried to free all 50 horses kept at the ranch in January, but the animals huddled together and did not leave the ranch, according to a news report.
Ranch manager Mike Flood said the man sabotaged the trails because he didn’t approve of the horses on the preserve.
Cowboy Trail Rides Family Stables is located in the Red Rock National Preserve just minutes from the main strip of Sin City.
The two men are seen at Cowboy Trail, a private ranch that offers horseback riding in the Las Vegas area
Since January, three more animals have been killed, in March, June and on Independence Day, according to Las Vegas Metro Police Lt. David Valente, who is working with the federal Bureau of Land Management on the case.
“All these crimes happened at night,” Valento said in a video posted on Twitter. “These shootings are intentional and the suspect is actively concealing his identity.”
Nighttime surveillance footage shows a man wearing a ski mask, headphones and gloves wandering around the ranch’s fence.
Lt. David Valento said the suspect is actively hiding his identity and should be considered armed and dangerous
A man parks near a ranch and walks into the grounds to kill the animals.
One picture shows a man holding a gun.
“Every horse was shot at close range,” Valento said. “The suspect should be considered armed and dangerous.”
Investigators have released the video footage to the public to see if they recognize any identifying marks.
PETA is offering a $5,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of the suspect.
“Red Rock’s spotted horses are in danger and need the public’s help,” said PETA Senior Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “PETA is urging anyone with information to come forward so that this killer can be brought to justice and prevented from shooting any more animals.”
The Friends of Red Rock Canyon group is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
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