FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Salt River Wild Horse Management Group Calls for Independent Investigation into Repeated Wild Horse Shootings Arizona — The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group (SRWHMG) is formally calling for an independent investigation by another agency, in addition to the Forest Service investigations and Navajo County Investigations, of the repeated shootings of wild horses in the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest in northern Arizona.

For years, wild horses in this region have been found shot, with incidents occurring with concerning regularity. Despite multiple Forest Service and Navajo County Investigations, these cases have not resulted in public accountability, information or arrests.
According to SRWHMG, past investigative efforts have relied primarily on limited field necropsies performed on only a few of the horses, after which all shot horses were buried the very next day, as appears to be the case in these January 29th shootings as well. SRWHMG believes this approach has significantly limited the ability to determine cause, patterns, and responsibility.
SRWHMG is calling for the following actions:

Independent necropsies of the full bodies for every deceased horse, conducted by a qualified university with forensic expertise like northwestern University. Results should be published.

Use of modern investigative tools, including cellular geo-mapping, to identify phones and devices present in the area at the time of the killings.

A Larger Presence of extensive law enforcement. Since more shootings can reasonably be expected we are calling for more money to be allocated for more consistent law enforcement or possibly even a closure of the Forest in that area.

We believe these investigations so far have not inspired confidence with the public who know and love these horses. After ten years, of repeated, almost predictable shootings, it should cause urgency to bring the perpetrator to justice.

“Law enforcement today has access to technologies that can provide meaningful leads when they are used,” said Simone Netherlands of SRWHMG. “These tools must be applied if there is to be any transparency, accountability, and justice.”

SRWHMG emphasizes that it’s call is based on direct experience and long-standing concern, not speculation. The organization believes that an independent review is necessary to restore public trust and to ensure that these crimes against federally protected wild horses are investigated thoroughly and objectively.

Until a transparent, independent and broad investigation is conducted, SRWHMG says serious questions will remain unanswered and these appalling incidents are likely to continue to occur.

Pictures below are of buried Alpine wild horses in the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest. These horses were shot, never necropsied, and buried before SRWHMG could identify them. More evidence of Alpine wild horse shootings can be found on the evidence page, warning, pictures are graphic.

###

The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and humane management of the Salt River wild horses. The organization receives no government funding and bears the full cost of wild horse protection through community support.