23 swans shot dead,

[rossy]

23 more have been found shot dead, to add to the 8 others , down somerset way, google for full story, of some sickos carnage, rossy.

[faz]

saw this on the local news last night any one wgo wants to see it westcountry tonight

[Wild-Woman]

This has got to be a seriously deranged 'person' to do this. How awful, I've googled and its horrific. This person must be caught and imprisoned.

[Deb London]

I read that £10,500 has been raised by the local community and is being offered as a reward for information that leads to the conviction of the gunman. I hope they catch them soon!

[Tringa]

This does sound bad, but we need the full story.

The article in the independent includes -

"The first eight swans were clearly shot, but because the swans found since then are so decomposed we are unable to tell the cause of death for sure, but it is likely they were killed about the same time."

Dave

[werdnal]

Our local news covered this too. Some of the bodies were xrayed and the pellets are clearly shown in the head/brain, so not youths taking pot shots, they were close range "shoot to kill" tactics. They said some of the bodies were so decomposed it couldn't be proved in all cases, and they do have the occasional loss through power cable strikes, but so many in a small area and close time frame looks pretty bad.

£25,000 reward for information leading to a conviction - Terry Pratchett has put up £10,000 of it!

I just don't understand why they are being shot though? What harm do swans do anyone? Some saddo sick people out there!

[darrenm]

Hope they catch them very soon and remove their liberty. Wanton acts of mindless killing of any wildlife needs to become a thing of the past and the message that this is unaccpetable behavior in the 21st Century needs to be pushed home. They also need to be very openly named and shamed when caught.

[BucksMike]

I wholeheartedly aree with the comments about the scum that do this sort of thin. Sadly even if caught I doubt if they will etr prosecuted. Just go back 3 years to 2008 and these 3 scum got away with it and are still around enjoying freedom etc. In fact these three managed somehow to et compensation from the police
see Police error led to collapse of swan killing case - Telegraph or google the names and see the rest of it. Looks remarkably similar so same scum involved?

[gregA]

how awful, it doesn't matter whether its 8 or 23 there is a seriously disturbed person or persons on the loose. Let hope they are caught and properley punished(some how i doubt it).
gregA

[nightshade]

Do not forget that some air-rifles are rated FAC so the owners would be on a list somewhere. To the Swans downrange there would be no sound until they had been hit, somebody is playing at being a sniper, FAC rifle on a bipod, big powerful telescopic sight, cammo suit.