This raccoon made things rocky for one cop.
An NYPD officer who shot a crazed raccoon as it charged at a group of bystanders on a Queens boardwalk last week has been placed on modified duty while police brass investigate the incident.
The unexpected encounter with urban wildlife unfolded shortly after 7:45 a.m. on Thursday, when the unnamed officer responded to a 911 call of a “vicious animal” near Beach 121st Street and Ocean Promenade in Belle Harbor, according to police.
Cops spotted the animal when they got to the scene and tried to shoo the critter away.
“While attempting to guide the raccoon to a safe location the animal suddenly charges towards a group of people in an aggressive manner,” the NYPD said in a release. “An officer discharged his firearm, striking the animal. There were no human injuries reported.”
Officials said the raccoon was struck three times and died at the scene.
It is not immediately clear if the animal will be tested for rabies, a viral infection that can cause erratic and aggressive behavior and easily transferred to humans.
Meanwhile, police said they are probing the encounter.
“The investigation remains ongoing by the NYPD’s Force Investigation Division,” police said. “The officer’s current duty status is modified.”
