Pennsylvania police shot dead long snake strangling man
Pennsylvania police say they shot a “very large snake” to save a man who was being strangled by the reptile.
Upper Macungie Township Police Department officers responded to a home in Fogelsville, about 45 miles north of Philadelphia, Wednesday afternoon for a man in cardiac arrest, according to a release from the department. Lieutenant Peter Nickischer told the local news station WFMZ A family member directed officers to a 28-year-old male lying on the floor, unresponsive to the snake wrapped around his neck.
Nickischer said: “Officers immediately recognized the seriousness of the incident, but they also had to be extra careful to protect themselves. “Trying to take action against this reptile is not a smart decision because the snake is so big.”
Police said the snake’s head was far from the man’s body. One of the officers “faced this snake” and shot it in the head. Nickischer added that the snake didn’t die immediately, but it began to slide away, letting go of the man and allowing officers to drag him away.
Officials confirmed the snake was a pet.
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The man, whose name has not been released, received urgent medical attention and he was taken to a local hospital for further treatment. Police said the man’s condition is unknown at this time.
The snake, estimated to be at least 15 feet long, was killed. The type of snake is not known.
“They realized it was a matter of life and death with just a few seconds to make that decision,” says Nickischer. “It’s a safe shot.”
Snake attacks by strangulation are rare in the United States, with most attacks coming from venomous snake bites. In 2019, one Indiana woman dies after being strangled by an 8-foot python.
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