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Wild turkey chases, attacks police cruiser in Pennsylvania

By Ben Hooper
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Jan. 31 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania turkey known to some as a "neighborhood pet" was caught on camera chasing and attacking a police car for several minutes.

Vince Papurello captured cellphone video of Mount Vernon's resident turkey, dubbed Stu by presidents, chasing and attacking a police car on a busy road for several minutes.

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Residents have previously reported the turkey harassing pedestrians and attacking vehicles.

Local man Scott Smith posted a photo to Facebook on Saturday showing Stu chasing and attacking SUVs in the city. He described Stu's actions as "domestic terrorism."

"That turkey doesn't know what he looks like, so when he sees his reflection in the side of the vehicle, he thinks it's somebody that's encroaching on his territory," Roy Hayward, a South Hills Co-op animal control officer, told KDKA-TV.

Hayward said Stu has been making trouble in the area for some time.

"He seems to be very at home in this area," the officer said. "He's very settled in this area. We've had trouble with him since last summer."

Some residents said they don't mind Stu's presence.

"He's sort of like the neighborhood pet," resident Robert Kushner said.

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Hayward said authorities are concerned Stu could injure someone trying to help the bird.

"One of the big concerns that we're having with Stu is that people are starting to stop, get out of their cars and chase him off the road," Hayward said. "They do have spurs on the back of their legs, and they use these to defend themselves, so if they got to the point where they felt threatened, they could possibly turn on the person trying to help them."

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