Latest news with #waterbuffalo
Fox News
15-07-2025
- Fox News
Oklahoma livestock farmer killed by water buffaloes he purchased just one day before fatal attack
A Jones, Oklahoma, farmer was attacked and killed by a pair of water buffaloes he acquired at a livestock auction just a day earlier, according to police. The Jones Police Department said Monday that officers responded to an emergency call just after 10:30 p.m. on Friday, regarding an individual who was attacked by water buffalo at a farm. When first responders arrived, they were unable to reach the victim, later identified as Bradley McMichael, because of the aggressive behavior of a water buffalo. In order to allow safe access to McMichael, officials shot and killed one of the water buffalo. The officers then gained entry to the scene and discovered that McMichaels had sustained multiple deep lacerations that proved to be fatal. When investigators were processing the scene, a second water buffalo started to become more and more agitated and began to pose a threat to emergency personnel. Police said the second animal was killed to ensure everyone on the scene was safe. A preliminary investigation determined that the two water buffaloes were responsible for the fatal injuries McMichael sustained. Investigators also learned McMichael purchased the two water buffaloes at a livestock auction on July 10, just a day before he was killed. Detectives suspect McMichael became trapped inside the water buffalo enclosure while he was tending to his new animals. Amy Smith, McMichael's ex-wife, told television station KFOR his passion was caring for livestock. "The cattle farming, that's his thing," Smith told the station. "He's been here his whole life, and he's done that his whole life. "So, he's an experienced cattle handler and a farmer," she added.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Yahoo
Farmer killed in water buffalo attack, Oklahoma police say
JONES, Okla. (AP) — A farmer in a rural suburb outside of Oklahoma City was fatally attacked by a pair of water buffaloes he purchased at a livestock auction a day earlier, police said. Bradley McMichael, a farmer in the small town of Jones suffered deep lacerations in the attack Friday night, Jones Police Chief Bryan Farrington said in a statement. The animals were so aggressive that first responders couldn't get to the victim at first, he said. One water buffalo was euthanized immediately and the other was put down after it became increasingly agitated and threatening, Farrington said. Police say they believe McMichael had purchased the two animals a day earlier and became trapped inside in an enclosure while he was tending to them. McMichael's former wife, Amy Smith, said caring for livestock was his passion. 'The cattle farming, that's his thing,' Smith told television station KFOR. "He's been here his whole life, and he's done that his whole life. 'So he's an experienced cattle handler and a farmer.' Although water buffalo are not commonly raised in the U.S., they are known for their milk production and lean cuts of beef, according to the Arkansas Farm Bureau.
Associated Press
14-07-2025
- Associated Press
Farmer killed in water buffalo attack, Oklahoma police say
JONES, Okla. (AP) — A farmer in a rural suburb outside of Oklahoma City was fatally attacked by a pair of water buffaloes he purchased at a livestock auction a day earlier, police said. Bradley McMichael, a farmer in the small town of Jones suffered deep lacerations in the attack Friday night, Jones Police Chief Bryan Farrington said in a statement. The animals were so aggressive that first responders couldn't get to the victim at first, he said. One water buffalo was euthanized immediately and the other was put down after it became increasingly agitated and threatening, Farrington said. Police say they believe McMichael had purchased the two animals a day earlier and became trapped inside in an enclosure while he was tending to them. McMichael's former wife, Amy Smith, said caring for livestock was his passion. 'The cattle farming, that's his thing,' Smith told television station KFOR. 'He's been here his whole life, and he's done that his whole life. 'So he's an experienced cattle handler and a farmer.' Although water buffalo are not commonly raised in the U.S., they are known for their milk production and lean cuts of beef, according to the Arkansas Farm Bureau.
New York Times
14-07-2025
- New York Times
Oklahoma Farmer Killed by Water Buffaloes He Had Just Bought, Police Say
An Oklahoma man was killed on Friday when he was attacked by two water buffaloes that he had bought at a livestock auction just a day earlier, the authorities said on Monday. The man, Bradley McMichael, 47, was found in the animals' enclosure with 'multiple deep lacerations that proved to be fatal,' the Jones Police Department said in news release. When emergency workers responded around 8:30 p.m. to McMichael Farms in Jones, Okla., northeast of Oklahoma City, Mr. McMichael was inside a structureand all they could see were his legs, Chief Bryan K. Farrington of the Jones police said in an interview on Monday. By the time the workers were able to make their way to him, 'he had succumbed to his injuries already,' according to the chief, who said that Mr. Michael had been attacked by both animals. The animals, which were euthanized, delayed emergency responders from helping Mr. McMichael, the police said. 'We could not get through the gate to get to where Mr. McMichael was,' Chief Farrington said, describing how the water buffaloes had prevented help from getting to Mr. McMichael by 'pushing back against the gate' and 'raising the gate up in the air with their horns.' 'He was in the pen with them,' he said. 'We could not get access to him because they would not let us in the pen.' It's believed that Mr. McMichael became trapped in the animals' enclosure on Friday night while he was tending to them, according to the police. McMichael Farms announced Mr. Michael's death on Facebook on Sunday, noting that 'we lost Bradley on Friday in a tragic accident.' 'His farm was his dream and I had the privilege of helping him with it for a little while,' said the post, which was signed by 'Jennifer.' Chief Farrington said that he was not aware of any previous fatal water buffalo attacks in the area, and that 'multiple people around the area have had water buffalo before.'
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Yahoo
Oklahoma farmer killed by water buffalo he bought at auction just a day prior
Two "aggressive" water buffaloes fatally attacked an Oklahoma man before confronting — and delaying — police and firefighters who responded to care for the victim, authorities said Monday. Brad McMichael, 45, died on Friday from injuries he sustained from the large animals he had purchased at auction a day prior, his family and police said. The emergency call for help came at about 8:35 p.m. local time in the small town of Jones, about 20 miles outside of Oklahoma City, Jones Police Chief Bryan Farrington said in a statement. First responders, however, were "initially unable to reach the victim due to the aggressive behavior of the animals." "Briefly, maybe 3 (minutes)," Jones Deputy Police Chief Sony Nohmer told NBC News when describing the delay in care. First responders killed one water buffalo, allowing them to get to McMichael, who 'had sustained multiple deep lacerations that proved to be fatal,' Farrington said. McMichael's fiancée, Jennifer Green, said that the delay was inconsequential. He was pronounced dead at the scene. "I was there," Green said. As first responders continued their work, a second water buffalo "became increasingly agitated and posed a threat to emergency personnel" and those on site that were also dispatched, according to the police statement. Green said that she believes McMichael was preparing water for the animals when they attacked, and he would have never carelessly put himself in a dangerous position. "He wouldn't have been casual and, like I said, he was very experienced," Green said. "So we don't know how he got in that situation. But the stock tanks were not full of water yet. So we're not sure if he was dumping them out to fill them with fresh water before he left. But that's when it happened." Running the farm had been a "dream" come true for McMichael. "Most are aware by now we lost Bradley on Friday in a tragic accident," Green said in a statement she posted on the McMichael Farms Facebook page. "His farm was his dream, and I had the privilege of helping him with it for a little while." McMichael was survived by his 21-year-old son Rylan, his ex-wife Amy Smith, a sister, a mother, and a grandmother. The land where McMichael was raising cattle, lamb, and goats has been in the family for at least three generations, Smith and Green said. Smith explained that the farm "was everything to him, it's what he lived for." "Farming, our son and the community of Jones meant everything to him," she added. "He was a man that was brought up in that town and was never ever going to leave." Green said she's been overwhelmed by the well wishes coming from Jones residents. "I don't know if [McMichael] knew that people loved him as much as they do," she said. This article was originally published on
