A 14-year-old will appear in court next week after being charged in the shooting of nine cattle from last month.
The Texas Longhorns were found shot in the Stauffer area northeast of Caroline on Aug. 6. They were shot randomly while grazing with a rifle stolen from a nearby residence.
Five of the cattle — four cows and one calf — died from the shots, while four others, including two calves, were injured.
The rifle was subsequently found at the scene, and nine days later was reported stolen by a homeowner who had been away.
The teen, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, has been charged with nine counts of shooting cattle, two break and enters, careless use of firearms and a breach of probation. The youth will appear in court on Sept. 16 in Didsbury.
Const. Tom Meloche of the Rocky Mountain House RCMP said the shooting was an isolated incident. The livestock owner will have to go through the courts to get restitution for his loss.