La Grange Explains Raccoon Shooting In Neighborhood

LA GRANGE, IL – A resident in a La Grange neighborhood used a pellet gun to shoot a raccoon late last month with two police officers present.

The incident was in the early evening of April 24 in the 10 block of Dover Avenue.

Upon hearing about it, Patch filed a public records request for the police report and the policy governing such shootings. It was not immediately clear what type of gun was used.

In response to the request, the village furnished the policy, but not the report. Asked further about the incident, La Grange later provided the incident report.

According to the report, a resident "dispatched the sick/injured" raccoon with a pellet gun. The possibly rabid or injured raccoon was hiding in bushes on private property, police said.

Last week, Village Administrator Jack Knight emailed Patch that the animal was suspected to have rabies.

"(I)t was considered humane to allow the resident to end the animal's suffering with a pellet gun," he said.

Village President Mark Kuchler later emailed Patch, the administrator and police chief and said that it was illegal for an unlicensed person to shoot a raccoon.

"A resident would need to first obtain a permit to trap or explain to the State biologist why the animal must be euthanized," he said.

Kuchler did not respond to Patch's further inquiries.

On Thursday, Knight emailed Patch again about the raccoon.

"Given this exigent circumstance, and the concerns over additional threats to the community, a resident was allowed to use a pellet gun to euthanize the animal, which was located on private property. Use of a pellet gun on private property is not prohibited," Knight said.

"In a follow-up consultation, the (Illinois Department of Natural Resources) has advised that rabid raccoons can pose a serious danger to children or other animals and should be euthanized as soon as possible," he said.

Patch asked village officials if they preferred a police officer shoot a dangerous animal if the officer were present rather than a resident. They did not answer that question.