Pennsylvania woman, 73, kills loose cobra with a shovel

June 25 (UPI) -- A 73-year-old Pennsylvania woman who spotted a venomous Asian cobra outside her home sprang into action and killed the animal with a shovel.

Kathy Kehoe, a Falls Township great-grandmother, said she spotted the unusual snake on her patio Monday when she looked out to determine why there were blue jays squawking outside her home.

"I opened the door. I said a bad word. 'It's a cobra.' I knew right away," Kehoe told WPVI-TV.

Kehoe snapped some photos of the snake until it started to flee. She then grabbed a shovel, chased the serpent into her yard, and beat it to death.

"He went this way. I stalked him and when he got over to here, I tapped his tail. He went up and that's when I did the deed and held him there," she said.

Authorities said they have not yet determined the origins of the highly venomous snake, but Kehoe said it may have been on the loose in the apartment complex for months. She said police removed 20 venomous snakes, including 12 cobras, from a neighbor's apartment in March.