Two teens are facing charges after three cows were shot in LaPorte County Wednesday night.
A farmer reported gunshots late Wednesday to police. He told police that he heard five shots, then rushed outside to see a vehicle driving away. He went after the vehicle and got a license plate number.
Three of the farmers cows were shot and killed in the incident. He says one of the Holstein heifers was pregnant, and they are each valued at about $1500.
The LaPorte County Sheriff's Department was able to find the suspect vehicle and took two suspects into custody. One of the suspects is 17 years old, and the other is 14.
The teens are each charged with three counts of Killing a Vertebrate Animal and three counts of Criminal Recklessness. All are felonies.
"The killing of these cows was senseless and the animal cruelty charges are the result of "Ben's Law", House Bill 1468, which went into effect in 2009," explained Sheriff Michael Mollenhauer. Ben's Law went into effect as the result of the 2008 killing of a Belgian draft horse named Ben in LaPorte County.
The teens are currently being held in the LaPorte County Juvenile Services Center.
