Ocean Springs promises REVENGE after Carl the celebrity rooster 'MURDERED' by corrections officer
OCEAN SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI: The beautiful small city of Ocean Springs in Mississippi has been left devastated after its celebrity rooster was killed by a female corrections officer. The city’s population of 18,000 has been mourning the death of the animal, named Carl, with some promising revenge while some getting tattoos in his remembrance.
According to reports, Carl had a fixed routing that included visiting a local bagel shop in the morning, drinking water at a few coffee shops, and sometimes going to the fitness center. It has also been said that the bird was quite friendly and often used to pose with people for photographs. His favorite place for a quick nap was reportedly railing perches that have been installed across the city.
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However, on April 24 at 3 am, a corrections officer at the Jones County Juvenile Detention Center identified as Kendra Shaffer, took away Carl from a perch before throwing his body in a parking lot in the neighboring city of Biloxi. She was seen with a group of men. How the rooster was killed is not known yet but another footage showed a man taking Carl's body in a plastic bag and walking away to an unknown location. The exact place where the bird’s body has been dumped is unknown, but Matt Stebly, an Ocean Springs tattoo artist, has offered a reward if someone gives any information leading to his remains.
“[Carl would] wake up and mosey around town and get a bagel at the bagel shop. He had his rounds that he would visit every day. He was iconic. Larger than life,” Stebly mentioned, before adding: “We were trying to plan a little second line for him. I feel like it would be a little more special if we had his body.” Local artist Cali Rob, who is making a mural for Carl, also noted: “Carl was so much more than a rooster. He was an icon. He was a pillar of the community.”
On April 30, Rob shared on Facebook, “Good Morniiiing, Ocean Springs! ☀️ The memorial mural for Carl begins! You can find me over here at Lil’ Market Deli & Bagelry (one of his favorite hangouts!) bringing this larger than life legend into a larger than life design, from the heart for the heART of downtown Ocean Springs... if you’re around swing by at any given point to check it out, in the meantime though- much love y’all! • 🎨❤️✨ • #CaliRobCreations #ArtistInMotion #ICameToCreate #OceanSprings #CarlTheRooster #Mural.”
Meanwhile, in the aftermath of Carl’s death, Shaffer was “issued a misdemeanor citation for animal cruelty. She was also fired from her job at the detention center,” The Daily Mail reported. But fans of Carl were not happy with the action taken against her as former Ocean Springs mayor Connie Moran said, “Jobs come and go, but a life, we only get one run at this life, you know, his life was taken short.”
Moran also took to Facebook to share a post from someone called Tasia Kenosky that read: “I never thought I’d shed a tear for a rooster, but Carl deserves our tears. He was happy, very personable, and he brightened so many people’s days. Carl 2.0 was loved. Carl lit up the lives of residents and tourist alike. Most importantly Carl 2.0 was a SENTIENT BEING who did absolutely nothing to provoke his demise. He was sleeping!”
The post added: “I have to believe that most people are good, but it really only takes one evil person. We have to do better. With animals. With other humans. As a society, we have to get back to caring about something or someone other than ourselves. I am beyond disgusted. My heart is broken. You do not have to ‘like or love’ a certain type of animal to respect its presence and right to life. Animals were here first. You think they’re an inconvenience? What do you think they would say about us? They are a gift and we should treat them as such. Carl 2.0 was a gift to Ocean Springs. I’m sure there will be more roosters, but never another one like Carl.”
Stebly also shared a post remembering Carl that read: “Rest in power brother. You where a loved pet and mascot. I promise I will ruin the people that where involved. I may never understand what would make someone do something so f!?$ing awful to something that brought so much joy to a community. I feel responsible, this animal came to us and made our shop his home. It was my responsibility to keep him safe and unfortunately I couldn’t do that for him. I’m so sorry buddy.” He even got a tattoo of the bird on his hand.