Police and public capture runaway zebras in Washington state, but one is still missing

Law enforcement officers and the public in Washington state came together Sunday to take a rare hazard off the roads: Runaway zebras.

But despite successfully corralling three of them after they bust loose near North Bend, on the eastern outskirts of Seattle, one is still on the run, NBC News reported.

Trooper Rick Johnson, public information officer for Washington State Patrol District 2 in King County, said four zebras got loose on Interstate 90 near the North Bend exit.

He posted pictures of the animals as three still roamed free, before troopers and the public came together to secure their capture. "This is a first for me and all [State Patrol] troopers involved," he wrote. "Crazy!"

He said the animals escaped while their owner stopped to secure their trailer. The privately-owned animals were being taken to Montana.

This is a first for me and all @wastatepatrol troopers involved. 4 Zebras that were being transported got loose when the driver stopped to secure the trailer EB 90 to exit 32. The community has come together to help. One cornered, 3 outstanding. Crazy!! pic.twitter.com/8lF75tnbyZ

— Trooper Rick Johnson (@wspd2pio) April 28, 2024

South Fork regular Jon-Erick Anes told NBC affiliate KING of Seattle that he thought the zebras were part of an elaborate prank.

"And then I saw some cars try and like get into the, the neighborhoods to fence them in," he said. "They just started hanging out in the grass in somebody’s yard across the street," said Anes.

Alex Campo, who works in a restaurant off I-90 and who, along with brunch patrons, saw the animals running past, told KING Sunday would be known as "the day the zebras came into North Bend."

One local who helped to usher one of the zebras into someone's yard, posted video footage on Facebook and wrote: "I can now add zebra wrangler to my resume."

Another video posted to Instagram showed all four zebras stopping traffic in North Bend as bewildered drivers looked on.

The King County Sheriff’s Office was called at 12:52 p.m. and it wasn't until 2:36 p.m. that three of them were captured, ABC affiliate KOMO of Seattle reported.

WSP said the community has come together to help contain the loose animals.

The bizarre rescue effort involved a rodeo clown, who happened to be passing, local Whitney Blomquist told KOMO.

"They had a rodeo clown who was on his way, I guess to a rodeo, and they were using him to help corral," Blomquist said. "We got zebras on the loose, we’ve got a rodeo clown. I’m like, 'Cool, we’ve officially turned into a zoo here.'"

King County Animal Control has asked anyone who sees the missing zebra to report it.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

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