A bald eagle was shot and euthanized in Virginia. Now wildlife officials want answers.

Sarah Al-Arshani, USA TODAY
Updated ·2 min read
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The bald eagle is a symbol of America, but now investigators are asking for help to figure out how one was shot midflight near a battleground of the Revolutionary War.

Officials in Colonial Heights, Virginia, said they found a grounded and injured Bald Eagle last week. The bird was transferred to the Richmond Wildlife Center for treatment.

"Based on the injuries, the bald eagle was shot while in flight," Colonial Heights Animal Control Supervisor Amanda Richards told WTVR. "At this point in time, it was likely done on purpose."

According to the agency, the bald eagle had to be euthanized.

"Despite our best efforts, given the results of many of the diagnostics, it was in the best interest of this Eagle to peacefully end its battle." The Richmond Wildlife Center said in a post.

The symbolic bird had been battling an infection from being shot. It also caught other infections after starving, including a lung infection that caused difficulty breathing. It also had enlarged kidneys, anemia, toxic levels of zinc, and eventually began to regurgitate the food it was fed, the wildlife center said.

The pellet from the gun had gone through the bird's hip and into its wing.

Plea for justice in bald eagle's death

“None of this would have occurred if individuals out there had not shot this eagle,” Melissa Stanley of the Richmond Wildlife Center told WRIC.

The eagle had landed in an area that is not typically frequented by people, Stanley told WRIC.

The bird's euthanization turned the incident into a criminal matter and the agencies are now calling for the public's help to track down who shot the bird. Killing Bald Eagles, the national emblem since 1782 is a crime under the Bald Eagle Protection Act. The law enacted in 1940 makes it a criminal offense to "take" any part of a bald eagle, which includes killing one.

“I get chills thinking about it,” Richards told WRIC. “Also, take into consideration it is our nation’s bird. So, it’s kind of what America stands on.”

Anyone with tips or information can call the Anonymous Tip Line at 804-748-0660 or submit your tip online at p3tips.com/699.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bald eagle shot mid-flight in Virginia is euthanized