This is all over the news here... very bizarre story. They are not saying (and probably don't know yet) how the owner was killed - if someone else killed him and let the critters out, or if he opened everything and then killed himself. They are saying that he had a criminal record and was just recently released from prison where he'd been for a year on a firearms charge... which makes me wonder, who was taking care of the animals and compound in his absence, and where are they now?
They have people from the Columbus Zoo on site and they are hoping that when more animals are sighted they can shoot them with tranquilizers and remove them without any more of them having to be killed. That will depend on the situation and how the animals react if they can get the tranqulizers in them - if they can't take them alive safely it will mean the critters will have to be killed instead as they are (obviously) making public safety the primary concern.
The public is being advised to stay indoors and stay in their cars if they are traveling through the area. Area schools have been closed. What a bizarre situation. I just hope it's not the work of someone who thought he/she was making some statement about animal rights... certainly doesn't justify the death of the owner and it didn't do the animals any favors either as unfortunately most of them will probably end up being killed.
