Sir Bacon of Burg, a pig made famous in the internet for avoiding capture for months, was killed this morning by police on the Route 199 median, according to James City County Police.
At approximately 9:30 a.m., Sir Bacon of Burg was on the Route 199 median between Monticello Avenue and John Tyler Highway, authorities said.
Police received numerous concerns about the pig’s location and at that time, an officer stopped traffic and shot and killed the pig, said James City County Police Deputy Chief Steve Rubino.
Rubino said law enforcement was unable to capture the pig and the pig was shot for the safety reasons, since it was large enough to cause damage to a car, if hit or motorists could get hurt swerving to avoid the animal.
Animal control officers were at the scene, Rubino said.
Prior to this morning, police consulted with a local veterinarian and the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and determined using a tranquilizer gun was a not a viable option, Rubino said.
RELATED STORY: Here’s what we know about the mysterious tale of Sir Bacon of Burg, the wandering pig
Officers would have to get close enough to the pig and the animal can run up to 15-20 minutes before the tranquilizer takes affect, Rubino said.
Sir Bacon of Burg has eluded police and animal control for months and had been spotted along Route 199 and the areas of Longhill Road, Monticello Avenue and John Tyler Highway.
For several months, Rubino said police and animal control worked to capture four loose pigs. The pigs were believed to be domesticated and either escaped or were released by a resident in the county.
“Three were caught and one remained at large,” Rubino said.
