Exotic Animals On The Loose In Ohio, Owner Found Dead, Schools Closing
How this guy was allowed to keep all these animals is a mystery. From the Zanesville Times Recorder:
Thompson was sentenced to one year and a day in prison in October 2010 for two federal counts of possessing illegal firearms and recently had been released. Thomas was charged after agents with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives served a search warrant at his home in 2008.
At that time, the ATF seized 133 weapons and a small amount of ammunition. Thompson’s conviction centered on eight of those guns — five fully automatic firearms and three short-barreled firearms without serial numbers. Thompson was formerly a gun dealer who did not renew his license several years ago.
Also:
According to Muskingum County court records, Thompson had 11 misdemeanor charges filed against him — either animal at large or animal cruelty — between 2004 and 2009.
Seems like he was a stable individual. Police report having shot 25 of the animals so far. Several area schools have canceled school on Wednesday as a safety precaution.