Restaurant closed after deer butchered

HAMBURG, N.Y., Oct. 27 (UPI) -- A Hamburg, N.Y., Chinese restaurant was closed by authorities after employees were found butchering a deer inside the facility, authorities said.

The Erie County Health Department, which shut down the China King restaurant Friday after an inspector saw the employees butchering the deer, said investigators do not know whether the deer was road kill or whether it had been hunted, the Buffalo (N.Y.) News reported Monday.

"From our standpoint, it doesn't matter," Health Commissioner Anthony Billittier IV said. "They can't do what we think they did."

New York State outlaws butchering animals in restaurants for reasons including the possible spread of diseases like E. coli.

Billittier said authorities do not believe any of the deer meat was served in the restaurant's food.

"I don't think they were far enough along," Billittier said. "They were in the butchering process. They didn't get to the meat yet."

Authorities said they expect a hearing to be held next week.