Shooter sought as memorial of killed horse goes up in Jacksonville

Jacksonville, Fla. — Investigators are looking for whoever shot a horse in the head on his owner’s family pasture in Oceanway.

Mandi Harris told us her horse, Turbo, was killed with a high-powered rifle at her grandmother’s home. She said it happened sometime between late Friday night to early Saturday morning.

Harris posted the graphic photos of Turbo on her Facebook page, in hopes of finding the person responsible for the shooting.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to fully understand coming to the barn and not having him. There were so many things I was looking forward to,” Harris said.

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Harris had an undeniable bond with Turbo; she said they’d spent hundreds of hours training for shows when she was a teenager.

“Whenever you sit on his back it’s like you’re in your own kind of paradise. You just forget about all the worries of the world – and that was my happy place,” Harris said.

Harris’ passion for horseback riding spun at an early age. Turbo and Harris would compete often throughout the state during her high school years.

“Some of the greatest memories of my life with Turbo was in high school doing high school rodeo,” Harris said.

Harris told us her memories of Turbo are forever etched into her heart.

“I would lay down on the ground with him and he would lay down just like a dog – and put his head on my lap,” Harris said.

Turbo constantly grazed on the family’s property until he was gun downed.

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“To know that my horse was murdered on their land is just a terrible feeling. They hit him to kill him – so senseless,” Harris said. Turbo was shot exactly between his eyes, she told us.

Harris’ family has setup a memorial to honor its beloved horse. The family cut a portion of Turbo’s mane and tail to have something tangible to always remember him. Harris is offering an award for anyone with information that leads to the arrest of whoever committed this crime.

If you know anything about this case, contact the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at (904) 630-0500.

Cox Media Group