The incident occurred on Tuesday, 14 April, in Szczytnica in Bolesławiec County. The report concerned an injured roe deer, probably hit by a vehicle.

A police patrol was sent to the scene, as was the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre following a report from residents. According to MP Łukasz Litewka, the centre’s staff arrived about a dozen minutes after being called.

According to the account of the situation, when they arrived, the animal was already dead. A man was reportedly standing over the roe deer and, witnesses claim, had decided on his own to kill it. A police officer was nearby.

Footage documenting part of the incident appeared online. It contains an emotional reaction from a witness:

Gentlemen, look how this guy is finishing it off, and the police officer… You’re simply murderers

The man also addresses the person who killed the animal:

What was wrong with it, sir? All of this will be published. What does it have broken? And how do you know? Do you have an X-ray in your hand?

A brief reply can be heard in the footage:

I saw it

Police presented their own findings. An official statement said that officers found an injured roe deer and a man whom they knew to be a hunter with the required qualifications at the scene.

They reported:

Preliminary findings indicate that the man assessed its health as offering no prospect of recovery and made a decision he considered appropriate to the situation.

Following the intervention, the animal was taken to a veterinarian. The examination revealed serious injuries:

The examination found numerous external injuries and a fractured spine

Police remind the public that such actions are governed by the Animal Protection Act. At the same time, the district police chief ordered additional inquiries:

Actions aimed at determining whether the decisions made and actions taken were appropriate

The case sparked widespread discussion on social media and raised questions about the course of the intervention and the role of the services present at the scene. The findings of the inquiry are expected to determine whether the actions complied with the applicable law.