Camel kills two men at Obion County petting zoo

OBION COUNTY, Tenn. — An unexpected camel attack leaves two men dead in Obion County.

The Obion County Sheriff’s Department received a phone call around 5 p.m. Thursday evening of a loose camel at Shirley Farms in Obion, TN. When deputies arrived they found two men unconscious in a field.

According to a press release, 42-year-old Bobby Matheny of Ridgely and 67-year-old Tommy Gunn of Obion were found unconscious at South Bluff Road, with the camel still on the loose.

Sheriff’s deputies, along with other agencies, attempted to move the victims to a safe place.

During that time, the camel attacked an Obion County Sheriff’s Deputy vehicle, and tried to attack deputies attempting to move a victim to EMS.

Due to the aggressive nature of the animal and for the safety of everyone at the scene, officers had to put the camel down.

Both Matheny and Gunn were pronounced dead at the scene.

Tony Bargery, family friend of the petting zoo owners, says both Matheny and Gunn were valuable members of the community and will be deeply missed.

“It is a sad day for our whole community here, because everybody likes taking their children out there,” Bargery said. “Just hope everybody keeps Allen and Brandy in their prayers because they are going through a lot.”

According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, they require no permit to own a camel in Tennessee.

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