Washington:
Police in an upscale Texas neighborhood searched Tuesday for a fugitive Bengal tiger that was seen roaming on lawns and streets till its apparent owner fled with the animal.
That man, who currently had legal troubles, was arrested Monday evening for felony evasion of arrest following loading the tiger into a vehicle and driving away, just as police arrived at his home in Houston.
But there was no sign of the major cat.
“The tiger portion of the investigation is continuing,” Houston police tweeted following the arrest of 26 year old Victor Hugo Cuevas, whose lawyer insisted the tiger does not belong to Cuevas.
News accounts stated the cat lived in a home rented by Cuevas.
The drama started Sunday evening when the tiger was seen walking calmly across front lawns in a neighborhood in west Houston.
“I mean, I couldn’t believe it,” neighbor Jose Ramos told regional tv station KPRC. He took a image, posted it on a neighborhood weblog with a warning for people today to keep away, and named an emergency police quantity.
“It was very scary because this is a very family-oriented community, and you see lots of kids and (babies) strolling,” Ramos stated.
Wes Manion, an off-duty sheriff’s deputy who lives in the location, saw the post, raced to the scene and confronted the cat with a revolver in footage filmed by neighbours.
“Last thing I wanted to do was shoot the tiger,” Manion told a different Television station, KHOU. “It didn’t seem super aggressive.”
Cuevas was recognized to police since he was no cost on bond awaiting a murder trial.
On Twitter, people today feasted on news of the missing feline.
“Are you conducting a meownhunt? Is pawrole on the table?” wrote @CooperEarlJones.
“There must be some claws in the statute that says this is allowed,” quipped @EssBee44.
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