ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Three men have been accused of stabbing a young moose to death at a park in Alaska’s largest city, and police said witnesses reported seeing the men punching the animal.
The men were arraigned Wednesday in the death of the yearling moose Tuesday night near a bike trail in Anchorage’s Russian Jack Springs Park. All three were arrested on charges of animal cruelty, wanton waste of big game and tampering with evidence.
Three witnesses called police shortly before 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to report the moose under attack. Assistant District Attorney Daniel Shorey in charging documents made no mention of a possible motive.
Witness Don Brooks told officers he saw three men in a swampy area “punching” a moose. He yelled at them to stop, and saw them walk toward a park chalet, he said. Two others gave similar accounts to police.
Police found the dead moose in blood-soaked grass with a large vertical cut on its left side.