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Trail of blood leads police in New Mexico to tiger cub

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Posted at 11:13 AM, Jan 11, 2023
and last updated 2023-01-11 11:13:54-05

Police in New Mexico found a tiger cub while investigating a shooting.

Officers were alerted to the shooting Tuesday afternoon. They found an individual with a gunshot wound to the leg outside a convenience store. Police believe they were struck by a stray bullet.

While on the scene, police said they heard the sound of gunshots coming from a nearby mobile home community. Officers rushed to the area and reportedly located a man with a semiautomatic handgun. He was taken into custody, police said.

During their investigation, officers noticed a trail of blood that led them to a mobile home. Police said they entered the home in an attempt to render aid. No one was found inside the home, but they located a Bengal tiger cub inside a dog crate.

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish was contacted to take custody of the tiger.

It's unclear who the tiger belonged to or how it was obtained.

It is illegal to possess a tiger in New Mexico, according to the Department of Game and Fish.