CLINTON — Police are doing interviews as they continue to investigate the release of hundreds of cows at a farm in Clinton, a case that’s drawn nationwide attention and the interest of the FBI.
Police Chief Stanley Bell said his department has conducted a series of interviews in an effort to find more information about the release of hundreds of dairy cows from their holding pen at the end of November. The incident – which occurred at the Misty Meadow Farm either late on Nov. 29 or early in the morning Nov. 30 – resulted in about 150 cows wandering out of their holding pen and the death of one cow that fell into a drainage hole. The cows were discovered by farm workers and returned to their pens.
Then, hours later, an estimated 500 cows were released from their pen. One cow fell into a drainage hole and snapped its neck. All told, there are 1,500 cows on the farm.
Bell said police have conducted five or six interviews, some with people of interest and some with people who might know the people involved.
“We didn’t necessarily know when we started who was of interest and who was friend of a person of interest,” Bell said.
The FBI offered its assistance in the investigation in case the incidents were linked to environmental extremists. Clinton police didn’t think the incidents were related to those groups.
Bell said his department is still working under the assumption that juveniles or people in their late teens released the cows from Misty Meadows Farm – and vandalized the neighboring Wright Place Farm the same night. In some interviews, they needed the permission of parents to speak with people younger than 18.
In addition to the cows being released at Misty Meadows Farm, a stainless steel cooling tank filled with milk was shut off. The milk was saved. The cow was valued up to $2,500.
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