Ostrich killers may have been found

The killers of Gaylord the Ostrich may have been found, reports the Daily Journal:

Schmidt, however, was determined to find out who shot a killed Gaylord, who she inherited about a year ago as a rescue animal. On Sunday, Schmidt posted reward fliers at coastside businesses — the local liquor store, hardware store and post office. Within a few hours of posting the flier, Schmidt received a call from the owner of the El Granada liquor store who reported that someone ripped down the flier. Schmidt called the other stores and heard the same story.

By Sunday night, Schmidt had a description of the culprit and the company car he was driving. She paid a visit to the Princeton company and determined the business owner’s son was driving the car on Sunday. Within an hour, she was sitting down with father, his son and the son’s friend. The young men immediately apologized and volunteered to do anything to rectify the situation — including buying a new ostrich, Schmidt said.

They were drunk and had climbed into the ostrich’s enclosure. They claim they shot the ostrich in self defense, when it attacked them, breaking two ribs on one man.