Officials with the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency has asked for the public's help in finding whoever intentionally injured four baby Barn Owls in Alcoa.
The TWRA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service opened an investigation into the incident in which two of the four juvenile owls were found dead and two were injured.
Both injured owls were evaluated by a local veterinarian, but one of them had to be euthanized and the other owl underwent surgery with veterinarians, who gave it a "hopeful" prognosis.
Officials did not release the details of the incident but said "[We] can say there is evidence supporting the fact that the owls were intentionally harmed by cruel methods."
TWRA officials were called to the scene Wednesday afternoon and were being assisted by an investigator with the Blount County Sheriff's office.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation joined the investigation efforts.
TWRA officials asked anyone with information about the incident to call the TWRA Violation hotline at 1-800-831-1174.
No suspects or persons of interest have been named in the case, but if charged, the person(s) responsible crime could face felony and misdemeanor charges.
