By Tamas Mondovics
Hillsborough County Sheriffs detectives and County public school security officers are looking for those responsible for hoisting a dead deer on the school flagpole at Brandon High School last night.
Upon arriving at school this morning (11/16) students and administration at Brandon High School were stunned at the sight of a four-point dead buck hanging upside down by its feet from the pole.
Thanks to its shock value the disturbing image quickly found its way onto social media.
According to Hillsborough County Public Schools spokesperson Tanya Arja, administration and school staff quickly took the animal down and placed it in a secure location.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s public information officer Larry McKinnon said that the initial call came in at around 3 a.m. at which time school security found the buck. Investigators said that the deer had been shot and when found it had been dead for at least six hours.
“School Security and HCSO personnel are now checking cameras located near and around the flagpole to see who might be responsible.” McKinnon said while he emphasized that the incident is not currently connected to anything specifically and that it is likely just a prank, but that HCSO is taking the matter very seriously. “This was a sick and a very disturbing thing to do and if it was meant to be just a prank, it has gone way too far,” McKinnon said.
As for finding those responsible, McKinnon told reporters that HCSO is considering the incident as a crime.
“School resource deputies are very close to the students and it will only be a matter of time before those responsible will be found,” he said.
Please check back with us for updates.